Consett drug driver tried to push officer and flee the scene

Harry Richardson was also found to be driving under the influence of cannabis at the time of his arrest, Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Courft heard.

The 22-year-old was spotted driving a Peugeot 207 along Front Street in Craghead, Stanley, on September 11 last year.

John Garside, prosecuting, said the officers pulled him over on Middles Road before he tried to leg it from the scene.

He said: “The defendant has resisted the officer by trying to push the officer out of the way and run off from the vehicle.”

The court heard how the defendant had previous convictions on his record for assaulting an emergency worker and two counts of failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

Richardson, of John Street, Blackhill, Consett, pleaded guilty to obstructing a police officer, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and driving over the limit for cannabis.

Joshua Peacock, mitigating, said his client was only driving the car as he was intending to sell it.

“He was trying to make a small profit from selling cars,” he said. “I don’t think that the custodial threshold has been crossed in this case.

“However, I do concede that he does have two previous convictions for failing to provide on his record.”

Nicola Gregory, the chairwoman of the bench, told Richardson he had a terrible record for someone still relatively young.

She said: “You are only 22, and I think you are already clocking up convictions which you have to stop - I think you are aware of that.

“This behaviour really has to stop, otherwise you are really on a downward spiral and you will end up in custody.”

Richardson was made subject to a 12-month community order with ten rehabilitation activity requirement days and 300 hours of unpaid work attached.

The drug driver was also banned from driving for three years and ordered to pay £199 towards court costs.