Here are some of the people from Darlington and County Durham who have appeared in court charged with driving offences in the last two weeks.

A MAN has been fined after being caught driving a street cleanser while more than twice the legal limit for alcohol.

  • Maxwell John Taylor, 28, from Darlington, appeared at York Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

He pleaded guilty to one charge of driving a motor vehicle when his alcohol level was above the legal limit.

It relates to an incident in Northallerton on October 11, when he was driving a Volvo street cleanser vehicle in Birkby Lane.

He was found with 74 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, above the legal limit of 35 micrograms.

Taylor, of Chestnut Drive, was fined £120, told to pay a victim surcharge of £34 and costs of £85.

He was also disqualified from driving for 40 months, though he was given the option of reducing that by 40 weeks if completes a course.

  • Nathan Christopher Henry, 30, was left with a bill of almost £600 after speeding on the motorway.

The 30-year-old, from Darlington, was caught going at 82 mph in a temporary 50 mph zone on the M1 near Leeds on June 1.

He pleaded guilty and was given a fine of £461 and told to pay costs of £90 and a £46 victim surcharge.

Henry, of Wallington Drive, was also given six points on his driving licence.

His case was heard at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court on October 25, though he did not attend.

 

  • Malcolm Gatenby, of Shotley Bridge, near Consett, was banned from getting behind the wheel after being caught drink driving.

The 53-year-old pleaded guilty to driving his BMW when above the legal alcohol limit on June 18.

He was caught in Shield Row Lane, Stanley and was found with 62 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

His case was heard at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, October 21.

Gatenby, of Oley Meadows, was fined £270, given a victim surcharge of £34 and told to pay costs of £85.

He was also disqualified for 42 months.

He also admitted driving without insurance, for which there was no separate penalty.

 

  • David William McCaskill, 24, from West Auckland, was fined and banned from driving.

He was caught drink driving in Tubwell Road, Darlington on October 9.

McCaskill, of Oakley Green, was driving a silver Ford Fiesta when he was caught with 68 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

He pleaded guilty at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on October 21 and was fined £150, given a victim surcharge of £34 and told to pay costs of £85.

He was also disqualified from driving for 18 months.

 

  • John Joseph McMeekin, from Bishop Auckland avoided losing his licence after being caught speeding in Cumbria.

The 50-year-old, of Ash Green Way, was given five points but was not banned due to his caring responsibilities for his mother.

He pleaded guilty to speeding and was fined £80, told to pay costs of £110 and a £34 victim surcharge.

He was caught going at 71mph in a 50mph zone on the A66 in Appleby-in-Westmorland.

He appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on October 21.

 

  • Paul Sawyer, 34, from Ferryhill was caught drink driving on October 2,

Sawyer, of Newlands Rise, was caught on the A167 in Chilton this month and was found with 74 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

He pleaded guilty and was banned from driving for 18 months.

He was also fined £120, told to pay costs of £85 and given a £34 victim surcharge when he appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on October 18.