A MAN accused of sparking a bomb scare which led to a market town being evacuated, drove at 60mph in a 30mph zone in a bid to escape police, a court has heard.

York Crown Court was told Shamsul Islam made two 999 calls to police and one to the Crimestoppers line claiming Islamic fundamentalists linked to the July 7 London bombings were using Paragon Pizza in Knaresborough High Street to build a bomb.

Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, said Islam, 23, warned officers on October 16 last year that the explosives would be planted that night.

Armed police sealed off the town centre for four hours, searched the takeaway premises and strip searched employees before realising it was a hoax.

The jury heard Islam had admitted dangerous driving the following day, by driving at 60mph in busy 30mph streets in Leeds, swerving onto the wrong side of the road, going through a red light and crashing his brother's car.

Officers found cocaine on him and the phone alleged to have been used for the hoax calls with other phones in the car's glove compartment.

He denied trying to escape from the police because of the phones, which he claimed he had never used, instead claiming his attempt to evade capture was because of the drugs.

The jury was shown footage filmed inside a police car by the BBC for its Traffic Cops programme a day before the bomb hoax, in which Islam claimed to be his brother Habibul and gave his home address as a pizza restaurant in Knaresborough.

Islam, 23, of Spencer Place, Leeds, denies three charges of making a bomb hoax call, but has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

He told the court: "I have never been to Paragon Pizza.

"I have never made the calls. I have no knowledge of those calls."

He also denied having a grudge against staff at the takeaway because they had told the police information that exposed his brother as a car fraudster and himself as a liar.

Mr Newcombe said: "It is the root of why these bomb hoaxes calls were made because Paragon Pizza didn't back up the story."

The trial continues.