THE BROTHER of a survivor of the Dreamspace tragedy escaped prison yesterday (Wednesday, October 1) after clipping a security officer and policemen with his car as he tried to escape after being caught shoplifting.

In his mitigation, Mark Nadolski cited financial hardship he suffered while caring for his nephew after his sister was seriously injured in the 2006 disaster at Chester-le-Street's Riverside Park.

Newcastle Crown Court was told Nadolski had gone with his partner to Sainsbury’s in Team Valley, Gateshead, where they stole goods worth £146, on May 1.

Mark Giuliani, prosecuting, said: “They tried to leave the store without paying for the items and were stopped by a security officer.

“The defendant managed to run off, but his partner remained in the store.”

Nadolski was captured on CCTV reversing his car out of a parking space as a police officer smashed his windscreen with a baton.

He then drove off clipping both the security officer and policeman, before stopping. Both men suffered bruising.

The prosecution accepted the 36-year-old had not deliberately targeted them.

Glenn Gatland, mitigating, said Nadolski’s sister Gemma suffered serious injuries when she was thrown from Dreamspace, the inflatable art installation as it took off after its moorings broke.

Mother-of-two Claire Furmedge, 38, of Chester-le- Street, and grandmother Elizabeth Collings, 68, of Dalton- le- Dale, Seaham, both County Durham, died and many others were injured.

Mr Gatland said: “He and his mother then had to look after the nephew, while she was intensive care for many weeks and did not make a full recovery for over two years.

“He couldn’t work the hours that he wanted to because of looking after his nephew which severely restricted his income.”

Nadolski went on to get a “very good” job, but Child Support Agency commitments left him with little money to live on and short of food.

His partner suggested they go to Sainbury’s “to take some of these items”.

Mr Gatland added that Nadolski had got glass in his eye when his windscreen was smashed and could not see where he was going.

He said: “The basis of his plea is that he should have stopped at that point instead of driving the car off as he did.”

Nadolski, of Seven Acres, Great Lumley, who has two previous convictions for failing to stop after an accident, admitted theft and dangerous driving.

He was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay £1,349 in costs and disqualified from driving for 18 months.