A banned driver who was under the influence of drugs led police on a high-speed chase in his BMW before losing control and spinning onto a grass verge.
Aqib Nawaz, 25, failed to stop for officers in Preston Old Road, Blackburn, shortly after midnight on June 26, 2022. Speeding at 20mph over the 30mph limit, he drove straight across a mini roundabout and eventually crashing.
Officers noticed a strong smell of cannabis when approaching the car, and samples taken proved he had cannabis and cocaine in his system Paul Cummings told Preston Crown Court, reports LancsLive.
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Samples were taken which showed the driver had levels of cannabis, cocaine and cocaine metabolite above the legal levels.
Further checks revealed Nawaz was banned from driving and was not insured to drive the vehicle. Philip Holden, defending, said his client made money from buying and selling cars. On June 26, the vehicle had not been collected, so Nawaz drove it - then panicked when the police saw him at the wheel.
Fortunately no-one was injured during the pursuit, Mr Holden added.
Sentencing, District Judge Paul Healey said: "You had previously been disqualified. The fixed period had come to an end but you were not allowed to drive unless you had taken an extended retest - which you had not."
The judge said Nawaz had a number of health conditions and had been abusing drink and drugs since he was 12 years old. "You weren't expecting to have this vehicle overnight but something fell through and you made a foolish decision to move the vehicle. You panicked when you saw the police and you were pursued.
"You shouldn't have been on the road. You made a split second decision and attempted to make away from the police. Your driving was dangerous and you caused a real risk to yourself and others.
"Fortunately, no damage was done but your behaviour really was dangerous and presented a real risk to other people.
Nawaz pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and three counts of drug driving. The judge handed him a nine-month sentence suspended for 12 months for dangerous driving, with two months to run concurrently for the other offences.
He ordered him to do 25 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, six months drug rehabilitation and pay a £200 fine, £200 costs and a victim surcharge.
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