Garstang drink driver avoids jail by the 'skin of his teeth' after writing off woman's car

Connor Fearon, 24, of Pasture Drive, Preston, was spotted driving erratically in a Ford Mondeo on Croston Road in Garstang at 11pm on December 9, Preston Crown Court was told.

He failed to stop for police and drove through residential streets before colliding with a parked car on Devonshire Drive, propelling it into a garden wall and writing it off.

Fearon had his eight months sentence suspended for 18 months, but must take part in a drink impaired driver's course and do 150 hours unpaid work..

Banning him for three years, Judge David Potter said he had avoided jail by the 'skin of his teeth'.

He added: " You got into an argument with your then partner in a pub and you decided to drive from that pub, whilst drunk, in a car to which you had no permission to drive.

"You drove away in an erratic manner and was spotted by a police officer.

"He pursued you and put on his lights and sounded his sirens and in response to that you panicked and you accelerated away because you knew you'd been drinking and knew you were going to be in serious trouble - and so you are."

Fearon admitted aggravated vehicle taking, drink driving, dangerous driving and driving without insurance.

Defending, Beverley Hackett said: "He fully accepts his responsibility for what can only be described as a very foolish action.

"He does not seek to make any excuse for his behaviour.

"The context is a domestic argument. From that argument he foolishly took the vehicle with a view to getting away and not benign involved in any further domestic discourse.

"With hindsight he should never have behaved in the way in which he did."

He was ordered to pay £900 compensation to the other motorist and £100 costs