A man who drove the wrong way down a road in Gateshead after an argument with his partner has been disqualified from driving.
Mark Drummond, 36, from Redwood Gardens, Gateshead, caught officers' attention when he sped down York Road driving the opposite way on January 27, 2021.
During a hearing at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court on Tuesday (March 2), Drummond pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle above the legal limit of alcohol.
The court heard how officers were on mobile patrol when they spotted a Honda Civic travelling in the opposite direction at an "excessive speed".
Officers pursued the vehicle causing it to stop and saw Drummond in the driver's seat. He admitted to officers he had been drinking.
A roadside breath test was carried out which Drummond failed and he was taken to the police station where a further two samples were taken.
There was 70mg of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath which is two times the legal limit of 35mg.
Drummond has two previous convictions for four offences, three of which are motoring offences.
Prosecutor Leanne Duffy said the offence was aggravated due to the "poor standards of driving".
Drummond, who was not represented by a lawyer, told the court: "I was arguing with my partner so I had to leave. I shouldn't have jumped in my car but I did."
Giving credit for his guilty plea, Chair of the bench, William Carlyon, disqualified Drummond from driving for 20 months and ordered him to pay £239.
He was offered a drink-drive rehabilitation course which would knock 20 weeks off his disqualification.
