'I've not been drinking' says sozzled Washington man caught driving at over 3 times the limit
A sozzled Washington man caught driving at over three times the limit told police he had not been boozing, a court heard.
Connor McCutcheon, 37, made the outlandish claim despite appearing heavily intoxicated, having slurred speech – and then failing a roadside breath test. McCutcheon, of Cooperative Terrace, Concord, was stopped soon after he left the scene of an accident in the town on Wednesday, June 4.
He was not at his then home in Horsley Road, Barmston, when police came calling but they spotted his Nissan Qashqai as they searched the area. The offender pleaded guilty to a drink drive charge when he appeared before magistrates in South Tyneside.
He is facing a minimum three-year roads’ ban for what is his second same conviction in three years. Prosecutor Lucy Waby said: “Officers received a call of a road traffic collision. The driver of the offending vehicle was suspected of being intoxicated.
“The driver of that vehicle has handed his details to the other driver. Police have attended and done vehicle checks. They attended the address of the driver, but he was not at home but as they were leaving the area, they noticed the defendant’s vehicle.
“They performed a stop. The driver appeared intoxicated, he had slurred speech. He initially said that he hadn’t been drinking. Officers conducted a roadside breath test, which was failed. He has a relevant previous conviction from August 2022.
“He was disqualified for 13 months. Due to the same offence within 10 years, it’s a starting point of a 36-month ban, with a range to 52 months.”
McCutcheon gave a reading for alcohol in breath of 115mcg. The legal limit is 35mcg. Alastair Naismith, defending, told magistrates: “It’s a guilty plea, and that relevant previous conviction has got to be on your mind. I don’t have the details, but it would be around the same level.”
Magistrates adjourned the case for reports and McCutcheon was granted unconditional bail to be sentenced at the same on Thursday, August 21. They handed him an interim driving ban, with the full length of his disqualification to be decided at sentencing.