Driver avoids jail after near miss with police car on Wolverhampton street

Nathan Dodd then panicked and tried to get away because he was in his father's car and had been drinking, a judge heard.

The 26-year-old mounted the kerb in Market Street and drove along the pavement for a short time before ignoring a police order to stop.

Dodd continued into Tower Street – again in the wrong direction - where he smashed into the kerb and was forced to abandon the damaged silver Renault Megane.

He ran away chased by police who finally found him hiding behind a large van in a nearby car park during the early hours of December 13 last year.

Mr David Bennett, prosecuting, said: "The occupants of the stationary police car had braced themselves for the impact of a crash as the Megan turned into Market Street in the wrong direction and drove towards them at speed.

"It mounted the nearside kerb and drove along the pavement.

"This happened at a time when night clubs were closing and there were a lot of people either going home or looking for fast food outlets."

Dodd declined to give a specimen of breath for testing but later admitted he was likely to have been over the drink-drive limit.

Mr Jasvir Mann, defending, said: "He is ordinarily a decent young man but on this occasion displayed very poor judgment.

"He panicked because it was his father's car, even though he was insured to drive it."

Unemployed Dodd from Victoria Road, Wednesfield, who has a one year old child, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to taken a breath test and was given an 11 month jail sentence suspended for 18 months with 100 hours unpaid work and a two year driving ban.

He was also ordered to pay £400 costs.

Judge Amjad Nawaz said: "You were inebriated and rather foolishly tried to get away after the police attempted to flag you down.

"Lots of people were around and you could have caused serious injury."