A JUDGE has asked why a defendant is yet to be dealt with for one offence of dangerous driving four months after a second more recent case was completed at court.

Judge Christopher Prince said it was “ludicrous” that Grant MacLean has now completed unpaid work imposed in June for an offence committed in February, and yet was only charged in August over a separate dangerous driving incident, which took place last December.

MacLean, 20, of Bluebell Way, South Shields, appeared at Durham Crown Court on a committal for sentence for dangerous driving.

It relates to an incident in Renny’s Lane, Gilesgate, Durham, when MacLean was driving a Volkswagen Golf, for which he was arrested on December 2, last year.

Shaun Routledge, for the defendant, told the court MacLean was arrested for a further dangerous driving incident, when he was behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Caddy, on John Reid Road, South Shields, on February 25.

MacLean was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on June 24, receiving a 12-month community order to include 75 hours’ unpaid work, which he has now completed.

He was also banned from driving for 12 months.

Judge Prince adjourned sentence for the December incident until October 21, when he wants to be told by the Crown why both cases could not have been heard simultaneously.