Telford motorist gets 12-month ban for failing to stop

Dean Knight, 42, of Dawley, then crashed into a wall forcing him to stop during the incident.

He admitted a charge of failing to stop and admitted failing to provide a specimen at a hearing at Telford Magistrates Court.

Mrs Sarah Jones, prosecuting, said: "In this case the Ford Fiesta involved was reported to have left a local public house after the driver had consumed a large amount of alcohol. Police traced the vehicle and found it stationary.

"They waited until it was being driven away before illuminating their blue lights. At this point the driver of the car accelerated and kept driving, including through red lights at Finger Road.

"The outcome was that the driver left the road and collided with a wall.

"The officers said the driver refused to exit the vehicle when they spoke to him and had to be removed. He was taken to the Princess Royal Hospital where he was asked to provide a blood sample for analysis. At first he agreed, but when an A&E nurse arrived to take it, he refused to provide it."

Dispute

Mr John Macmillan, mitigating, said Knight was disputing the some of the officers version of the incident, which happened on October 31.

" At the moment he is off sick from work. He maintains that he did stop the car. He says there was a problem with the car door which couldn't open properly and he tried to tell this to the officer. During the incident the air bag was deployed.

"He has reported the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission which is looking into it."

The court heard Knight, of King Street, Dawley, has previous convictions dating to 1996 including driving whilst disqualified, driving with excess alcohol and aggravated vehicle taking.

For failing to stop the magistrates disqualified him from driving for 12 months and fined him £92. They ordered him to pay costs £135 and victims' surcharge £30.

There was no separate penalty for failing to provide a specimen.