Intoxicated Sunderland bar worked banned from driving after being caught by police at Springwell

Lois Crawford, 29, was being tailed by police when she stopped at the junction of Springwell Road and Durham Road, at Springwell – and indicated to turn right.

But lane directions ordered Crawford, of Thornhill Gardens, Ashbrooke, to only go straight ahead, and her blunder on Tuesday, October 29, caused her to be pulled over.

Prosecutor Paul Coulson told magistrates in South Tyneside the inside of Crawford’s Vauxhall Corsa smelled of alcohol and she failed a roadside breath test.

She has now been disqualified from driving for 18 months and will lose her pub trade job due to the travel prohibition.

Mr Coulson said: “The evidence comes from an officer who provides that he was on mobile patrol at about 9.20pm.

“He was travelling on Springwell Road towards Durham Road when his attention was drawn to a Vauxhall Corsa.

“He noticed that it moved into lane 2 but its indicator showed that it was going right.

“At crossroads it stopped. The officer noticed that this was straight-ahead only. He noticed it took to turn. He indicated for it to stop.

“The officer spoke to the driver who was Ms Crawford, and he could see that there was a male in the front passenger seat.

“He noted the vehicle smelled of intoxicating liquor, and from her interactions with him, her words were a bit slurred.

“She said that she had had a drink that evening. She failed a roadside breath test. The offence is aggravated by the fact there was a passenger.”

Crawford, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to drink driving.

Alastair Naismith, defending, said Crawford had not been stopped because she was suspected of being drunk.

He added: “It’s that she didn’t know where she was going. She cooperated at the roadside and at the police station.

“There’s a passenger in the vehicle, but she also has no previous convictions and has entered a guilty plea.

“She is currently employed in bar work, which is evening work, but she will not be able to get there now, so that work will have to go.

“There’s not much else to it, it was a silly mistake.”

Magistrates also fined Crawford £200, with £85 court costs and an £80 victim surcharge.