Shopkeeper who led police on high-speed chase on A689 banned for failing to give breath test

Avtar Singh, 38, initially denied failing to provide a breath sample for analysis, but changed his plea to guilty when he appeared before Teesside Magistrates’ Court.

Saba Shan, prosecuting, said on September 8 last year police were in pursuit of Singh on the A689, reaching speeds of up to 80mph in a 40mph zone.

Ms Shan said an officer managed to pull him over and said the defendant was laughing and he could smell alcohol.

She said: “He asked him to do a breath test and he refused.”

The prosecutor said at the police station Singh did agree to do a breath test.

She said: “But, rather than blow into the device, he was blowing air out of the side of his mouth.”

Ms Shan said there were a number of attempts made, but he didn’t give a sample of breath and said he had asthma.

Singh, who was not represented in court, said he asked for a doctor or nurse at the time of the breath test, but didn’t get one.

The court heard the other offences surrounding the incident had been dealt with at an earlier hearing at Teesside Crown Court.

But, for the charge of failing to provide a sample Singh, of Gainsborough Crescent, Billingham, was given a six-week curfew, a 12-month driving ban and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £90 surcharge.