Drug and alcohol support worker refused to give sample after telling police ‘I’ve had a few’

Paul Ferguson, 40, failed to provide a sample for analysis after being seen driving erratically in Houghton by tailing police on Thursday, February 2.

It was history almost exactly repeating itself for Ferguson, of Sulgrave Road, Sulgrave, magistrates in South Tyneside heard.

In 2018, he was banned from the roads for 21 months for an admitted drink-drive charge.

He even took a ban-reducing road safety awareness course, designed to instil in him better driving etiquette and to reduce his risk of being a danger to others.

Ferguson will now be disqualified for a minimum of three years as both offences fall within the 10-year two-strike rule for drive-drive or fail to provide offences.

Prosecutor Mike Lawson said: “The defendant was seen in a vehicle which was spotted at North View service station.

“Police became suspicious because it was erratically parked. They followed the vehicle as it was driven by the defendant.

“It was being driven erratically, being driven across various lanes in Dairy Lane. It was stopped by police.

“When asked if he had had anything to drink, he said, ‘I’ve had a few’. He smelled of alcohol, his speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet.

“The police made a request for a roadside breath test which the defendant refused. He said, ‘I refuse to’. When asked why, he said, ‘I’m not obliged’.”

Mr Lawson said Ferguson was arrested and taken to Wallsend’s Middle Engine Lane police station, where he again refused to comply.

Ferguson pleaded guilty to charges of failing to provide a specimen for analysis and driving without a licence.

The court was told he had also received six penalty points for driving without insurance and a licence in 2004.

Representing himself in court, Ferguson, who works in Newcastle, accepted he had failed to provide a sample.

He claimed he had told officers there was no point in doing so because he knew he was over the limit.

Ferguson added: “I asked for a glass of water but was told that not taking the test would be a refusal.”

Magistrates adjourned the case for reports and handed Ferguson an interim driving ban.

They granted him unconditional bail to be sentenced at the same court on Tuesday, March 14.