SPEEDING motorist Jamie Cossavella pleaded with police who dragged him out of a wrecked car: "Don't tell my mam".

Police were pursuing Cossavella, who was at the wheel of silver Vauxhall Corsa which suddenly swerved, mounted the pavement, hit a bus shelter and landed on its side in the middle of the road.

Officers dragged the 21-year-old from the L-registration car and his first words were: "Don't tell my Mam, it's her car, she'll kill me".

John Gillette, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court that police saw the Corsa speeding at 11pm and they put on their blue lights and siren, but he sped off in excess of 50mph in a 40mph area.

Mr Gillette told the judge: "If Your Honour looks at the photographs they show the extent of the damage to the car and indeed to the bus stop. There was precious little chance of her not finding out what happened."

A blood test showed Cossavella had taken heroin, cocaine and other drugs. Nigel Soppitt defending said: "He accepted he had lost control.

"He had taken it without his mother knowing, and he was on his way to a friend's house to borrow some money."

Cossavella, of Linshields Grove, Ingleby Barwick, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in Yarm Road, Stockton, on July 9 last year, and driving while unfit through drugs. He was reman-ded on bail for 28 days to check his suitability for a Drug Testing and Treatment Order.

Judge Michael Taylor warned him: "Stay clean, otherwise I'll put you away."