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Chronicle Live
Chronicle Live
National
Ian Johnson

Audi driver was doing 130mph on the A1 while over the drink-drive limit, police claim

An Audi driver was spotted doing 130pm on the A1 , a court heard.

Craig Hutchinson blamed how slow the police were travelling for the speeding claims. 

But when they pulled the dad-of-one over, officers managed to arrest him for something else - being over the drink-drive limit.

The 35-year-old blamed "an error of judgement" on the reading, having been drinking with friends.

"He thought he would be under, but he wasn't," claimed his solicitor Michael Crowe.

Hutchinson was almost twice the legal limit when he was stopped on February 10.

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North Tyneside Magistrates' Court heard Hutchinson got in trouble with the law in his younger days and had 11 convictions to his name.

But his solicitor claimed he had "matured" and now has a family, while he hadn't seen his once-frequent client for a decade. 

And he took "significant issue" with the police's claim that he was speeding - an offence he wasn't charged with.

Why speeding drivers have a 50% chance of escaping a camera fine in the North East

"His position was he was doing nothing like that sort of speed," added Mr Crowe.

"I think the officer had just come onto the A1 from the slip road - the officer was going at a very slow speed."

However Hutchinson, who was "surprised" at the breathalyser result, has been banned from the road for 18 months after pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

The defendant, of Kirkwood in Burradon , was fined £420. He must also pay a £42 charge and £85 in costs.

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