Banned teenage driver who smoked joint as he fled police at 80mph weeps as he is spared jail

A banned teenage driver who smoked a joint of cannabis as he fled police at 80 miles an hour in 30 zones wept as he was spared jail yesterday.

Andrew Cook, 19, from Stockton had been disqualified last July also for driving under the influence of drugs.

Then last December he was back before Teesside magistrates for driving while disqualified and he was given a suspended prison sentence for 18 weeks.

Fifteen days later he was caught stinking of cannabis fumes after a 17-minute police pursuit at 1am across Stockton and Billingham.

Prosecutor Emma Atkinson said that Cook admitted that he had drunk a can of lager, had six or seven Diazepam tablets and smoked a joint at the wheel of a Ford Focus that became airborne in Station Road, Billingham.

He passed three police vehicles at 80mph, and the leading patrol car discontinued the pursuit before the Focus was found abandoned in Coxwold Crescent, Billingham, with both doors open.

Cook and a passenger were found hiding in bushes nearby.

He had 14 convictions for 30 offences, and it was his second conviction for driving while unfit through drugs which made him liable to a three-year ban.

Miss Atkinson told the judge: “This case does fall into the highest category with evidence of impairment, high speeds and he had a passenger.”

Paul Abrahams, defending, said that Cook had spent a month in custody on remand, his first time behind bars, and he was a very vulnerable person and easily led.

At the time he was in a relationship which led him to have contact with people who were not good for him.

Mr Abrahams added: “He would best benefit from a long period of structured supervision, and he could be given a curfew to keep him in his mother’s home at night.”

The judge Recorder Sarah Mallett told Cook: “They were incredibly high and dangerous speeds to drive on roads like that.

“You admit taking cannabis even when you were driving, which is an incredibly dangerous thing to do.

“I am aware that you had severe difficulties as a child and you suffer from anxiety and depression, and that you would benefit from help that could be given to you under supervision. You have now spent four weeks in custody and I am told and I accept that it has had an impact on you.

“I am going to accede to what has been put forward by defence counsel on your behalf. It is an exceptional course to have to suspend a sentence again, when you have already breached a suspended sentence.”

Cook, of Petch Street, Stockton, was given a 12 months jail sentence suspended for two years with 18 months supervision, a Thinking Skills programme, a three months tagged curfew between 7PM and 7AM, a £100 Victim surcharge and disqualified for three years until he passes an extended test.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on January 6, driving unfit through drugs, driving disqualified and without insurance.