Drink-drive doctor had children passengers.

A DOCTOR has been banned from driving after he was caught carrying two children in his car while drunk at the wheel.

Niaz Ahmed, 50, of Cleadon, South Tyneside, was driving with his seven-year-old son and his five-year-old friend when he crashed his Mercedes into two cars, a court heard.

Ahmed drove into a Porsche in Sunderland Road, South Shields, on April 24, while taking the children for a day out.

South Tyneside magistrates heard how he drove off after breaking the motorist's wing mirror, before going into the back of a Nissan Almera minutes later at traffic lights at The Nook on Prince Edward Road, South Shields.

Lee Poppett, prosecuting, said Ahmed did not stop and swerved around the damaged car.

The two angry motorists followed him to South Tyneside District Hospital, where he earns about pounds 900 a week as an anaesthetist.

As he got out of his car, the two women drivers confronted him. He was then arrested and a blood test later revealed Ahmed was over the alcohol limit for driving.

Lisa Ward, whose five-year-old son Ciaran was a passenger in the car, was "stunned" when she heard what happened.

Graeme Cook, defending, said the medical specialist couldn't remember any of the incidents because he had taken painkillers and steroids to cope with a shoulder injury, and drank a hot toddy - which contained whisky, lemon and honey - because he was feeling "fluey".

The court heard Ahmed suffers from a sleep disorder, and believed he may have "sleep-walked" to his car.

Mr Cook told magistrates Ahmed had a brandy at his pounds 400,000 home in Broadlands, Cleadon, and didn't realise he would be over the limit before setting off on a drive.

Mr Cook added: "He accepted that he had an alcohol problem. He is seeking independent help for this from his GP."

Ahmed admitted being drunk in charge of a child and two charges of driving with excess alcohol on separate occasions. He was banned from driving for 30 months, ordered to complete an 18-month community order and must pay pounds 190 costs.

Chairman of the bench David Kent told him: "I appreciate your background and the fact that you're an intelligent man, but you have done two stupid things - one particularly stupid thing by drink-driving with children in your car."

Ian Frame, executive director of personnel and development at South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust, said the Trust would be "discussing the situation" with Mr Ahmed.