A BANNED driver who was spotted behind the wheel tried to give police the slip.

Gulzameer Akram drove off from officers who were tailing him before running off on foot and hiding in bed, Preston Crown Court heard.

The 20-year-old, of Brantfell Road, Blackburn, was given 12 months probation by Recorder Chris Alldiss.

He was told to pay £250 costs and banned from driving for 18 months.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and was disqualified from driving.

The offences happened last August.

A two-year road ban had been imposed nine months earlier.

Miss Katherine Pierpoint, prosecuting, said it was around 9pm when two police officers saw a Nissan Sunny in the Whalley Range area of the town.

Police tried to stop Akram by activating emergency equipment but he accelerated to about 40mph.

The defendant failed to give way at a junction and then on a narrow road travelled at 40-45mph, with cars parked on both sides. He turned into an alleyway between houses and the car went on to stop.

Akram ran off from the scene.

He went into a house and was subsequently found hiding in a bed there.

Akram claimed he had not been the driver.

He stated he had been in bed at the time.

Richard Hunt, defending, told the court: "At 20 years of age perhaps the time has come to tell him the court is fed up with his cocking a snook at court orders.

"My instructions are that this incident was a one-off.

"He was seen by police officers and pursued.

"Of course, they knew who he was.

"He is well known to the police."

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