Driver caught hiding under bush after Leeds police chase crash when he was seen behind the wheel using mobile phone

Shani Grant came close to hitting a pedestrian and collided with another car during the incident on July 22 this year.

Leeds Crown Court heard police officers spotted Grant talking into his mobile phone as he drove an Audi along Roundhay Road.

Benjamin Whittingham, prosecuting, said the officers signalled for Grant to pull over near to the junction with Easterly Road but he drove onto a filter lane then onto the wrong side of the road.

He narrowly missed a pedestrian before returning onto the correct side of the carriageway.

After a short distance he turned right, ignoring a no entry sign, and entered a residential street.

Grant then drove over the 20 mph limit and failed to stop when the officers put on blue lights and sirens.

He tried to force his way past a car in front of him on Markham Avenue then collided with another car on Beck Road.

Grant then turned into a back street but his path was blocked by a parked van.

He ran from the car and climbed over a fence into gardens.

A member of the public pointed the defendant out to officers after he hid under a bush.

Grant was searched and found in possession of two mobile phones and five bags of cannabis.

Mr Whittingham said Grant, 34, of Montagu Crescent, Roundhay, only had a provisional licence and was not insured to drive the vehicle.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, possessing cannabis, having no licence and having no insurance.

Grant has previous convictions for having no licence and failing to provide a breath specimen.

Probation officer Malcolm Brown said Grant had not been in trouble since 2014 and assessed him as being a low risk of reoffending.

Laura Addy, mitigating, said the father-of-two panicked and drove off when he saw the officers as he knew he was not insured to drive.

Ms Addy said Grant had been trying to stay out of trouble and had been working as a refrigeration and air ventilation engineer.

The barrister added: "That craving for a normal life is the result of his driving that day. He was test driving the vehicle before purchasing it."

Grant was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He was banned from driving for two years and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work.

Recorder Jeremy Barnett said: "I have seen the video from the police dashcam.

"I accept that there are worse cases of dangerous driving than this, but in context it was pretty awful."