A noisy exhaust landed a drink driver in the dock after it attracted the attention of police.
Allan Taylor had been travelling along St James' Boulevard, in Newcastle City Centre, having earlier been out for a friend's birthday. Officers waiting at traffic noticed the 32-year-old's VW Golf because of it's loud exhaust and speedy approach to a red lights, a court was told.
They followed the vehicle until pulling it over on a road in Gateshead. Taylor, of Whitehill, in Leam Lane, Gateshead, failed a roadside breath test and later gave a reading of 51mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath when the legal limit is just 35mcg.
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Taylor has now bee banned from the roads for 12 months and been fined £140 after he pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol at Newcastle Magistrates' Court. Saba Shan, prosecuting, said police were in stationary traffic on St James' Boulevard at around 9pm on July 31 this year.
She added: "They heard the sounds of a loud exhaust followed by a vehicle approaching the traffic lights at speed. They followed the vehicle and it came to a stop on a road in Gateshead. Officers approached the vehicle.
"The defendant was the driver. He was asked to sit in the rear of the police vehicle. The officer's could smell alcohol on the defendant's breath and he appeared to be nervous."
The court heard that Taylor said he'd been out for a friend's birthday but had only had a lager, however, he failed the roadside breath test and was arrested.
Michael Crowe, defending, said Taylor, who has past convictions but has stayed out of trouble since 2017, thought he was under the limit. Mr Crowe continued: "It appears that what has attracted the police's attention is the noisy vehicle. There's nothing wrong with his driving. He apologises through me today."
Sentencing him, District Judge Kate Meek said: "You must understand, drink driving is always going to be treated very seriously by the courts." The judge also ordered that Taylor pay £85 costs and a £56 victim surcharge.
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