Traumatic journey for novice driver as drunk banned motorist repeatedly shunts car (From The Northern Echo)
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Traumatic journey for novice driver as drunk banned motorist repeatedly shunts car
5:17pm Tuesday 12th February 2013 in News
By Bruce Unwin, Chief Reporter (Durham)
A NOVICE motorist endured a nervous journey due to the close attentions of a drunken tailgating driver.
Gary McKitten, who was banned from the road, at the time, on May 31 last year, was at the wheel of a Ford Focus car which travelled consistently closely behind a Vauxhall Corsa, driven by recently qualified driver.
Durham Crown Court was told McKitten in the Focus, followed the Corsa for several miles heading westwards on the A693 from Chester-le-Street approaching the Stanley area.
During the journey, the Corsa driver became aware of the presence of the black Ford Focus immediately behind his vehicle.
As the cars approached the turn off for Beamish Museum the Corsa was shunted several times by the Focus causing damage to the rear of the vehicle.
The 18-year-old driver became so worried he rang 999 to report what was taking place.
He even asked the operator if Stanley Police Station would still be open, as it was 6.10pm.
The driver said he intended to head straight to the station, fearing what might take place if the motorist behind continued his course of conduct.
Details of the Focus were passed to police and officers later visited McKitten at his home in Marigold Crescent, Bournmoor, near Chester-le-Street.
He became aggressive, refusing to confirm his identity, telling the officers he was busy having “a domestic” with his wife at the time.
McKitten was arrested and gave a blood/alcohol sample four times above the legal limit for driving.
He denied a charge of dangerous driving at a hearing at the court on January 2.
But he admitted driving with excess alcohol, while disqualified, failing to report an accident, no insurance, plus using threatening or abusive words and behaviour to an officer who visited him at his home on the night of his arrest.
The case was adjourned for a trial on the dangerous driving allegation, scheduled for February 25.
But it was called into the list today (Tuesday February 12), when McKitten’s barrister, Alex Burns, asked for the charge to be put again.
He changed his plea to ‘guilty’ and sentence was adjourned to allow preparation of backgrounds reports on McKitten, by the Probation Service.
Mr Burns told the court: “He’s a man not in the best of health, who has been in custody for some time.”
Recorder Ian Atherton told McKitten: “I can’t make any promises as to what the sentence will be, but the report may have a bearing on the that.”
McKitten, 47, was remanded back into custody pending sentence on Friday March 8.
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