A MAN is to be sentenced for driving in a dangerous manner, but only after a trial of issue as to whether or not his car rammed into another vehicle.

Christopher Elliott admitted a charge of dangerous driving at a hearing at North Durham Magistrates' Court, at Peterlee, last month.

But his guilty plea was tendered on the basis that he did not use his Vauxhall estate car to ram into a Peugeot van, during the incident on the B1283 at Sherburn Village, near Durham, on December 17.

A district judge, sitting at the magistrates’ court, on January 8, committed the case to Durham Crown Court for sentence.

Recorder Simon Jackson, presiding at today’s (Monday February 10) scheduled crown court hearing, said the issue over whether or not a vehicle was rammed would have a bearing on the ultimate sentence.

He, therefore, adjourned the case for a trial of issue, or Newton-style hearing, to be staged at the court in six weeks.

Recorder Jackson bailed 38-year-old Elliott, of Usher Avenue, Sherburn Village, to return for the hearing, to be followed by sentencing, on Thursday, March 27.