A CARELESS driver showed a “complete disregard for other road users” during a police pursuit on residential Carlisle roads past pedestrians and dog walkers.

Nicky Griffiths, 42, appeared at the city’s magistrates’ court after an incident on 28th December.

A Seat Leon owner learned that the vehicle had been taken without her permission.

Police officers saw the car travel over St Nicholas Bridges towards the city’s Currock area. It overtook another vehicle close to the “five road ends” roundabout, carried on and turned on to Ridley Road.

“At that point there was a pursuit,” prosecutor Peter Bardsley told magistrates.

Seat driver Griffiths overtook another vehicle and showed, said Mr Bardsley, “complete disregard for other road users”.

A pursuit officer hit 60mph without catching up to the Seat win Griffiths’ driving deemed to have fallen below the standard expected of a careful and competent motorist. “There were pedestrians along the route, including dog walkers in the vicinity,” said Mr Bardsley.

When Griffiths later gave his account to police, he spoke of the vehicle’s owner being asleep and his wish to attend a meeting he “could not miss”.

It had been, he admitted, a “silly mistake”. “I just panicked,” he said. “I should have stopped.”

When brought to court Griffiths, previously of Warwick Road, Carlisle, admitted five offences: taking a vehicle without consent, careless driving, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, no insurance and failing to stop for police.

Yet the court heard Griffiths had taken positive strides in his life.

Defence solicitor Mark Shepherd described him as “someone taking steps from being a career criminal to someone completely rehabilitated and transforming himself”.

Griffiths was now completely drug-free with glowing character references describing his impressive progress, domestic commitments and manual work. “He has gone from being someone who had been destroying the community to somebody who is helping to rebuild it,” said Mr Shepherd.

“This is a man who has made real and sustained changes to his life.”

Magistrates suspended an eight-week prison sentence for 12 months. Griffiths must carry out rehabilitation work with a probation officer and was banned from driving for a year.