A ‘BESPOKE’ barber has been banned from driving after reaching speeds in excess of 100mph whilst ten times over drug-drive limit.

Andy Iwela panicked and sped away from police when they tried to pull him over in the early hours of the morning.

The 31-year-old went through red lights and weaved across the road as he raced through Middlesbrough in a desperate bid to shake off his pursuers.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the police chase lasted for more than eight minutes before a Stinger was deployed to bring Iwela to a stop.

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, said: "The police saw the defendant driving his Range Rover and he appeared to be speeding at the time. They tried to stop him but the defendant made off."

The court heard how he drove off along Ladgate Lane, reaching speeds in excess of 60mph as he headed out of town through Eston before hitting 100mph as he drove along Greystone Road near Redcar.

Mr Dryden said: "Eventually, because of the manner of his driving they deployed a Stinger to bring him to a stop."

When police searched Iwela, they discovered a small packet of cocaine before a roadside test showed he was ten-times the legal limit for cocaine and five times the limit for ecstasy.

Iwela, of Bush Street, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, possession of cocaine and driving over the prescribed limit for cocaine and ecstasy following his arrest on March 13 this year.

Andrew Coleman, in mitigation, said his client has set himself in business as a 'bespoke' barber and panicked when the police attempted to pull him over.

He said: "There's no doubt this matter crosses the custody threshold – the question is your honour, are you able to suspend the sentence?"

Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Iwela to 16months in custody, suspended for 18 months.

He said: "This was very bad driving, nine minutes worth I think, I watched the video of it all.

"It was in the early hours of the morning on relatively substantial roads, not through residential streets you sometimes see, at high speed through red lights, causing some cars to slow down but there was not a great deal of traffic on the roads – you were driving way too fast.

"You were ten-times the limit for cocaine and five-times the limit for MDMA."

Iwela was also banned from driving for three years and until he passes an extended driving test.

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