A 62-year-old man drove off after running into the back of another vehicle and shunting it into a second.

Blackburn magistrates heard that one of the other drivers provided police with a description of Alexander Fred Carmichael and his registration number and he was arrested shortly after.

But Carmichael denied being the driver and charges of driving with excess alcohol, failing to stop and failing to report an accident went to trial before he was convicted.

Carmichael, of Crosby Road, Blackburn, was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for two years, made subject to community supervision for two years, disqualified from driving for four years and ordered to pay £360 costs.

Michael Singleton, defending, said that because of his previous record Carmichael was acutely aware the offences took him beyond the custody threshold.

"It is still disputed by him that he was the driver," said Mr Singleton.