Drugged-up chase driver is spared jail

AN uninsured driver who was high on drugs, led police on a late-night chase through the streets of Oldham a court was told.

Patrol officers followed 20-year old Amaan Hassan after spotting him speeding in Hadfield Street in the town shortly after 11pm on April 11.

He was exceeding the 30 mph limit, driving through blind junctions without even slowing, and was seen to hit the kerb.

He eventually skidded, hitting the ornamental wall of a house, causing serious damage to his blue Nissan Micra.

Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court was told he got out of the vehicle and ran, but was caught, cautioned and arrested.

When taken to a police station he said: “I was stoned. I need to sit down”.

George Mathews, prosecuting, said when police made a search of the accident scene they found a plastic bag containing three smaller bags of cannabis, on the other side of the wall he had hit.

He was tested for drugs, and proved positive for cannabis. Hassan had at first denied any wrong doing, but then admitted being the driver, explaining he had panicked when he saw the police car following him.

Hassan, of Cotton Hill Crescent, Oldham, had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while unfit because of drugs, and possession of cannabis.

He also pleaded to offences of having no driving licence or insurance.

Sentencing him, Judge Leslie Hull said he had been persuaded against a custodial sentence because he had no history of offending, and had admitted his guilt at an early opportunity.

He told him: “You exceeded the speed limit, drove recklessly through road junctions and were at risk of causing an accident in which someone could have been seriously hurt. Fortunately for you, you didn’t.”

Hassan was sentenced to an intensive nine-month community order, banned from driving for two years, and ordered to carry out 100 hours community work.