Drink-driver climbed into back seat of a moving car
A drink-driver climbed into the back seat of his moving car in a bid to convince pursuing police he had not been behind the wheel.
Ryan Cowley, who was almost three times the drinkdrive limit, had gone through red lights, travelled at speed and narrowly missed other vehicles in a bid to get away.
ButNewcastleCrownCourt heard that when officers remainedonhistail,the30-yearold decided to pretend he had been a passenger in the Ford Focus and climbed into the back seat.
The court heard the car keptrollingalongCrownRoad in Sunderland until the front
seat passenger applied the handbrake and brought the vehicle to a stop.
Cowley told police at the scene he "wasn't the driver"
but later pleaded guilty to dangerousdrivinganddrivingwith excess alcohol.
Prosecutor Claire Anderson told the court Cowley had goneintotheTescostoreatRoker Retail Park in the city and stolen bottles of gin and whiskey on March 14 last year.
The court heard a worker atthestoresawhimdriveaway and reported to the police he seemed drunk.
OfficersquicklyfoundCowley'scar,illuminatedlightsand sirens,thenfollowedhimashe drovedangerouslythroughKier Hardy Way, over the Queen Alexandra Bridge and onto the A1231 and residential areas.
Miss Anderson said: "The car drove onto Crown Road and the defendant was seen to jumpfromthedriver'sseatinto theoffsiderearpassengerseat.
"TheFocuscontinuedtoroll forwardwithno-oneincontrol of the vehicle."
Cowley,ofPlantationRoad, Sunderland, admitted theft as well as the driving offences.
Judge Robert Spragg sentenced him to nine months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months with rehabilitation requirements and 100 hours unpaid work.
He was banned from driving for 30 months.
JudgeSpraggtoldhim:"You wentthroughredlights,forced yourwaythroughtraffic,failed to stop, went through another redlight,narrowlymissinganother car.
"You drove at 50mph in a 30mph area.
"Before stopping, you jumped in the back as the car continued to roll forward and the passenger had to apply the handbrake."
Vic Laffey, defending, said: "Thankfully,therewasnodamage or injury caused.
"It was a fairly short-lived incident."