Lancaster man took his friend's sister's car and crashed it after drug fuelled police chase

Oliver Kerr, 23, of Birch Grove, Lancaster, raised suspicions when police saw him hide his face in his hands while sitting on a petrol forecourt in a Vauxhall Corsa at 1.14am on October 15, 2019.

Police checks showed it was registered to a Lancaster woman - his friend's sister - who had not given permission for him to drive it.

Preston Crown Court heard at first he pulled out behind the officers at a very low speed, but later passed them and began to speed up.

Prosecutors described how he went on to lead police on a high speed pursuit through Lancaster, including hitting 50mph on the approach to two mini roundabouts and pulling half onto the pavement.

It ended when he careered into a parked BMW on Quarry Mount Mews, writing it off and causing £300 damage to the Corsa.

He fled from the crash car and ran into a nearby house - the home of his friend - where officers found him in a bedroom.

Kerr, who has seven convictions for nine offences, pleaded guilty to taking a vehicle without consent, dangerous driving, driving without insurance or a licence and two counts of drug driving.

Jacob Dyer, defending, asked the judge to consider suspending his sentence on account of his guilty pleas, remorse and age.

He said he had faced mental health issues after losing his job and started taking drugs.

Kerr had his 15 month jail term suspended for 18 months, and must do 80 hours unpaid work.

Judge Heather Lloyd said he had come within a "hair's breadth of going to jail" and was on the cusp of doing something decent with his life or "descending into criminality".

She added: "You lost control at several points, you went through give way signs, junctions, a red light and speed bumps.

"You say you were not thinking straight. The simple fact of the matter is you were thinking straight enough to make your way back to from where you had taken the car.

"How you choose to cope with any difficulties you may have is a matter for you but not when it involves breaking the law and endangering the lives of others."

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