A driver who led police on a pursuit in darkness along residential Carlisle roads has heard he could be sent to prison.
Ben Hull, 23, pleaded guilty to four charges when he appeared in front of a deputy district judge at the city’s magistrates’ court earlier today.
Hull admitted driving a Ford Focus dangerously on Queensway, Shady Grove Road and Orton Road during an incident on Thursday October 2.
The court heard his offending included driving on pedestrian paths and contravening one-way streets.
Hull also admitted failing to stop the Focus when required to do so by a police constable in uniform, while on Queensway; driving the vehicle while disqualified; and without insurance.
The court was shown some dashcam footage, captured from a police patrol vehicle as an officer gave chase.
Defence solicitor John Smith, for Hull, conceded the incident occurred in bad weather.
Traffic, however, had been minimal at the time, there were said to have been no pedestrians in the area while Hull cleared tests for alcohol and drugs in the aftermath.
Deputy district judge Imran Hussain adjourned the case, requesting that a background report be prepared by a probation officer.
The court also heard Hull had received a nine-month custodial sentence for dangerous driving.
As a teenager, Hull had rammed a police vehicle and hit around twice the 30mph speed limit on residential Carlisle streets, displaying what a sentencing judge called breathtakingly dangerous conduct behind the wheel.
Hull had since been given a 10-week prison sentence for a previous offence of driving while disqualified.
In adjourning the case today, the judge said all sentencing options for the October 2 crimes — including immediate imprisonment — were being left open.
Hull, of Raffles Avenue, Carlisle, is next due to attend the magistrates’ court on November 21.
In the meantime he has been granted unconditional bail and made subject to an interim driving ban
