Driver caused £30,000 damage

THE house in Ashton Road badly damaged by the van

Suspended sentence for man who crashed into house
FOUR people had a lucky escape when an unlicensed, uninsured driver lost control of a van and crashed into a Bardsley house and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Andrew Michael Christopher Johnson (27), of Carnarvon Street, Oldham, narrowly missed two pedestrians before crashing through a garden wall into the living room of a couple’s house.

Johnson, who had borrowed the van and was taking colleagues home was trying to clean the windscreen when the crash happened.

He told police the screen-washer water was “flowing like a tap”, making it difficult to control the van.

Sean Brady, prosecuting, said: “Two witnesses saw it coming to towards them at some speed.

“One pulled his friend out of the way before seeing the vehicle smash into the house.”

Sharon and Paul Lomas were watching television in their living room when the Mercedes van smashed through the window. Both escaped unharmed.

Johnson and a assenger, ran off before “coming to his senses” and calling the police 30 minutes later.

Mr Brady said around £30,000 worth of damage was done to the house.

Johnson, a self-employed builder, pleaded guilty to three charges at Oldham Magistrates’ Court, including failing to stop after a road accident as well as driving without a licence or insurance.

He was given a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, ordered to do 175 hours of unpaid work and had to pay £465 in costs and compensation