‘Luck no-one was hurt’ as drug driver, 22, is spared jail
A man who took a mixture of drugs before trying to evade police in a short car chase through Market Drayton has avoided jail.
Joel Evans mounted the pavement and drove across someone's garden during the incident on August 23, 2020.
The 22-year-old was found with cocaine and cannabis in his system after being stopped in a silver Ford Fiesta by police.
Evans, of Riverside Drive, Tern Hill, appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court for sentencing on Monday.
Olivia Appleby, prosecuting, said: "At 11.45pm officers were in the area and saw a silver Ford Fiesta make off at speed in Market Drayton.
"As a result they illuminated their police lights. The defendant responded by mounting the kerb onto a pedestrianised footpath and then onto the garden of a property on Fairfields Road.
"He then went the wrong way around a keep left bollard, he turned right onto Maer Lane and this is now with officers in hot pursuit.
Arrested
"Further officers tactically blocked off Betton Road which is when the defendant stopped and brought the car under control."
Evans was arrested for dangerous driving, drug offences and driving without insurance, an MOT and unsupervised in accordance with his licence.
The court heard Evans had four previous convictions for nine offences.
Ms Appleby added: "It's luck alone no-one was hurt and that includes the defendant himself."
References read out in court said Evans was a "good father" and a "hard working" employee.
Sentencing, Recorder Judge A Warner, said the incident was "very far from the most serious case of dangerous driving".
He added: "Of course it's always a worry when people fill their body with drugs and enter a motor car and go driving.
"The most serious aspect of this is when pursued by police with their blue lights on, you panicked, drove onto the pavement where someone might have been and on someone's garden as well, and drove off in an attempt to escape."
Evans was given 10 months in prison, suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to carry out 40 days rehabilitation and 150 hours of unpaid work, as well as being disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to pay court costs of £535.
