A SUSPECTED drug user who attempted to flee police was arrested when he crashed his car after racing around residential areas.

Spencer Maiden was spotted acting suspiciously in a Hartlepool car park by police who tried to speak to him but he drove off at speed, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The 19-year-old led police on a dangerous pursuit before coming to a shuddering halt when he crashed into a parked car on November 30 last year.

Christopher Bevan, prosecuting, said police suspected that the occupant of the Ford Fiesta was involved in a drug deal and the police chase lasted for around seven minutes.

He said: "The defendant was observed speeding well in excess of the speed limit. On numerous occasions the officers observed the defendant travel at between 48 and 75 miles per hour in 30 zones.

“At one point he entered the opposite side of the carriageway to overtake another vehicle, he was observed swerving in an out of the way of vehicles in an attempt to evade capture.”

The pursuit came to an end in Thackeray Road when Maiden collided with a parked car.

Following his arrest, a quantity of cannabis was also found in the Ford Fiesta and a pouch containing more of the Class B drug was found nearby Mr Bevan said Maiden had four previous convictions for six offences but none relating to driving.

Maiden, who only held a provisional driving licence, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without a licence, no insurance and possession of a Class B drug.

Stephen Constantine, mitigating, said his client was reliant on his mother to take care of his finances and had struggled with day-to-day living.

He said: “This, one could describe in many ways; seven, eight minutes of madness.

"Thankfully nobody was hurt and the damage seems to have been limited, even though there was a collision.”

Mr Constantine added: “He’s clearly embarrassed and ashamed of his actions. He assures the court through me there will be no repeat.”

The teenager, of Milne Walk, Hartlepool, was described as immature but was still capable of working with the probation service.

The judge, Recorder Christopher Rose, told Maiden his driving could have resulted in ‘horrendous and life-changing consequences’ after viewing police footage of the pursuit.

He said: “If I was to send you to prison, you could have few complaints given the driving that I have just viewed but I am not going to send you to prison due to your age and lack of maturity.”

The judge added: “You spent eight minutes trying to evade police, driving at most lethal speeds in a very built-up area. The footage shows you driving along narrow streets amongst housing, past schools, and on one occasion overtaking another car on the wrong side of the road near a school.”

Maiden was given 12 months prison, suspended for two years, and banned for two years, together with 120 hours unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity days.

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