Accrington man's second drink drive shame

Blackburn magistrates heard that former taxi-driver Abdul Rauf left the scene of the crash but was followed by members of the public who surrounded him and detained him until police arrived.

Rauf, of Russia Street, Accrington, was convicted after trial of driving with excess alcohol, failing to stop and failing to report an accident. He was jailed for 90 days.

Philippa White, prosecuting, said the incident occurred at 3.30am as town centre revellers were making their way home.

A witness standing in Church Street described how a mini-bus type vehicle came round the corner and mounted the kerb and collided with a number of parked cars.

"She saw a male pedestrian fall to the floor and she then saw the driver get out of the vehicle and run into the Cashmere takeaway," said Mrs White.

"She ran round to the back of the takeaway from where the defendant emerged."

The crash was also witnessed by a police officer who described how one car was pushed across the road by the people-carrier type vehicle which then went on to collide with several other vehicles.

He saw Rauf leave the scene but another officer found him at the back of the takeaway stood in the middle of the road surrounded by members of the public.

Mrs White said that in October 2002 had been driving a people carrier with eight passengers on board when he was acting in his capacity as a private hire driver.

The vehicle collided with bollards in Burnley Road and when Rauf was breathalysed he was found to be nearly three times the legal drink drive limit.

Michael Singleton, defending, said the court would not be surprised to hear that Rauf was disabled due to alcohol dependency.

"His GP has referred him for treatment at a rehabilitation unit to deal with his alcoholism," said Mr Singleton.

"He accepts the offence crosses the custody threshold but I would urge you to suspend any such sentence."