A MAN drove dangerously round a town’s roads while rowing with his wife.

Andrew Rogan was seen “mouthing off” at his wife, a front seat passenger in his Volkswagen Golf, by another motorist driving towards the A1(M) in Chester-le-Street, at 3.45pm on April 20.

Durham Crown Court heard he overtook other vehicles waiting at a red light, before turning at speed onto a roundabout in the wrong direction, causing other drivers to swerve from his path.

Over the next 25 minutes Rogan was reported driving erratically, at times breaking heavily, forcing other road-users to take evasive action.

Jonathan Walker said reports were made to police, who later arrested Rogan.

He gave no reply to police questions but admitted dangerous driving and failing to provide a specimen for a drug test, at an earlier hearing.

The court heard the 46-year-old groundworker, formerly of Miller Gardens, Chester-le-Street, but now living in Ellesmore Port, in Cheshire, has a long history of driving offences on his record.

Kate Barnes, mitigating, said: “I’m instructed to make no excuses for his driving, which was poor and dangerous, with his wife in the car.”

Recorder Joanne Kidd told Rogan: “You drove as you did clearly to terrify your wife, but it also had an impact on other road users.”

She imposed an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, with 30 probation supervised rehabilitation activity days.

Rogan was also ordered to perform 200 hours’ unpaid work and was banned from driving for two years.