'Bully on the road' in Milton Keynes is spared jail by judge

Jonathan Adim, 29, had cannabis and cocaine in his system when police spotted him driving in MK.

The construction worker - whose partner had a baby just 10 days ago - was given a final chance by the judge over video link where he was isolating at home with his new family.

Prosecuting counsel Cathy Olliver said: “On July 25 last year, a policeman driving a marked police car saw the defendant driving towards a hospital. The occupant was driving aggressively and the officer thought he must be in a hurry. He followed the car to the hospital and put his blue lights on to try to stop the motorist.

“However, he took off as soon as the officer illuminated the lights. In an attempt to get away he clipped the kerb. He was driving too fast, jostling other cars and taking off. He reached a roundabout which he came onto too fast and cut across another driver. He clipped the wing mirror, span onto the verge and came to a stop where he was arrested.”

The court heard that tests revealed Adim had both cannabis and cocaine in his body. In a later interview, he explained he had been at the funfair with his friend but had felt ill so had driven the car to buy some cannabis and was going to go home.

“He saw police behind him and panicked due to the car being a courtesy car and not his, he did not want to get into any trouble. He said he got tunnel vision but the car was so powerful and he wasn’t used to it and hit a Jaguar and then a tree,” the barrister added.

The owner of the Jaguar car expressed his sadness that the vehicle was a write off as it was previously owned by his grandfather and it had sentimental value.

Defending Adim, barrister Labanb Leake said: “He had no reason to drive away from the police. He had a small amount of cannabis on the front seat of his car but ironically, had he stopped, all would have been well.

“One of the difficulties was the car he was driving was a courtesy car. His own vehicle had encountered some manufacturing problem and BMW were loaning him a new vehicle. It was far more powerful than he had ever driven before and the result was he crashed it.

“It would be exceptional to suspend his sentence but we are in exceptional times and he has had an exceptional life change. He now has a child. That child was born 10 days ago and some days prematurely. There were complications, the child was delivered by C-section and needed resuscitation. The family are now all isolating together.

“This may be the life-changing event he needs to help him live a more law-abiding life. He cares for his partner who has had difficulties in the past. This may be the turning point for him. He realises this is his last opportunity.”

Speaking to the defence counsel, Judge Francis Sheridan, sitting at Aylesbury Crown Court via Skype said: “Your client owes you a debt of gratitude."

Turning to Adim, he went on: "You are in front of me for driving offences. This was aggressive, jostling with other cars and ultimately you crashed into the other driver. His car, which had been his grandfather's, was a write-off and he was forced to take three days off work costing him money. This was all down to you. You are a bully on the road.

“To make matters worse, you have previous convictions which means you will be disqualified for a minimum of three years. The facts are that you were drug-addled while driving and then there was an accident.”

The new father, of Lampitts Cross, Eaglestone, was given a 15 month sentence, suspended for two years, for dangerous driving and ordered to complete 170 hours of unpaid work.

He also received a £100 fine for possessing cannabis, was ordered to pay £425 costs and disqualified from driving for three years for driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified drug above limit.