Suspected drink driver stopped in street wearing dressing gown and slippers after mum's car found crashed and abandoned

Melanie Beddison, 33, was located by police in Houghton soon after 2am on Wednesday, December 18.

The jobless mum then refused to give a breath sample and swore at officers and was entirely uncooperative, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told.

Beddison’s offence came just two days before she appeared in court on a separate charge of driving whilst unfit, for which she was handed a 12-month roads ban.

Magistrates also heard she had been fined and given 10 penalty points in September 2018 for failing to provide a breath sample for analysis.

Prosecutor Glenda Beck said: “The offence takes place shortly after two o’clock in the morning of December 18.

“A Citroen C1 had crashed and been abandoned shortly after leaving the home address.

“She was located nearby in her dressing gown and slippers. The keys were found nearby.

“She was arrested and taken to a police station. However, she failed to provide a sample for analysis. She was quite difficult with the police officers during the procedure.

“When asked if she had had anything to drink in the past twenty minutes, she said, ‘I’ve been with you for the last twenty minutes.”

Paul McAlindon, defending, said Beddison, a carer for her partner, had mental health issues and misused alcohol.

He added: “It’s very difficult to argue that this wasn’t a deliberate refusal. She just simply refused.

“I accept from the outset that this will be aggravated from the offence in September 2018 and the one in December last year.

“She was on bail from the December offence when she did this. She is a young lady with huge difficulties.”

The case was adjourned to Wednesday, February 12, for a Probation Service report on Beddison, who pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

Beddison, of Grange Street, Pelton, was granted unconditional bail and handed an interim driving ban.