AN INTOXICATED west Cumbrian man drove dangerously towards oncoming traffic on an e-scooter in Whitehaven town centre.

The high-risk journey undertaken by 34-year-old Scott Foster, who refused to heed commands to pull over from police officers, was eventually halted when a constable who was chasing after him pulled him off the machine.

Even then, Foster’s behaviour continued to be irrational and at one point he offered the arresting officer cocaine, saying: “Do you want a line? I’ve just had a couple.”

The defendant, of Mountain View, Harrington, Workington, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court after earlier admitting five offences.

They were dangerous and disqualified driving, uninsured driving, causing criminal damage, and police assault. Prosecutor Andrew Evans described what happened.

It was July 24 this year and police were called to the Barra Jacks pub in James Street in Whitehaven following a report that a man – the defendant – was behaving abusively.

But by the time the officers arrived he had left.

“They spotted him driving away, going the wrong way on a one-way street, before emerging on to Lowther Street,” said Mr Evans.

CCTV images showed the defendant on his e-scooter, weaving across lanes and riding towards oncoming cars.

Some drivers took evasive action to avoid hitting Foster.

Mr Evans continued: “Uniformed police officers were chasing him on foot when he drove back on to the pavement and accelerated away. He was repeatedly refusing their calls for him to stop. One of the officers caught up with him and pulled him off the scooter.”

It was after this that Foster offered the arresting officer cocaine. Concerned about his health, the officers went with Foster in an ambulance to hospital but during the journey he was aggressive, pulling out his drip.

He spat at the police officer and had to be put into a spit hood. At the hospital, it took four officers to restrain Foster. On the way to the police station, he urinated in the van.

Foster has 59 previous offences on his record and they included three previous dangerous driving crimes, as well as drink driving and disqualified driving. Mr Evans accepted the latest dangerous driving was short-lived.

“But it’s his fourth dangerous driving offence,” added the barrister.

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Kim Whittlestone, defending, said the defendant’s history was linked to him having a “significant acquired brain injury,” the effects of which he had struggled with for many years.

She said: “It's had an impact on his behaviour - on his temper, and his ability to deal with any form of confrontation, or general day to day living.”

Such were the defendant’s difficulties that his finances were managed by a solicitor.

Alcohol and substance abuse were clearly a problem. He had no memory of committing the offences on February 24. He had used alcohol, but he had no memory of taking ketamine, despite traces of that drug being found in his system.

Miss Whittlestone added: “He bought the e-scooter from Halfords for £555 but he didn’t know it was illegal for him to drive it on the roads. He apologises for his actions.”

Judge Nicholas Barker said Foster had ridden on the pavement without any consideration for the pedestrians who were there and while ignoring the pleas of police officers for him to stop.

“It seems to me you were intoxicated,” said the judge.

“You then began to be violent and aggressive on the way to hospital.” Spitting at the police officer was a “disgusting action.”

But the judge accepted that Foster’s brain injury had impacted significantly on his cognitive functions but attempts by various agencies to help him had not worked because of his problems with drugs and alcohol.

Judge Barker jailed Foster for 11 months and imposed a 41-month driving ban.