A SPEEDING driver and his girlfriend were injured when he lost control on a bend and smashed into a wall, a court was told.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Simon Hughes' passenger, Samantha Wright, had been so frightened as he clocked up about 80mph before the double bend on Greenhead Lane, Fence, that she could not speak.

The car rolled over five times, ending up on its roof, but the crash would probably not have happened if the defendant had not applied his brakes.

Hughes escaped a jail term after denying dangerous driving, and pleading guilty to driving without due care and attention. Sentencing Hughes, Judge Raymond Bennett said he was clearly going too fast and he may have got round the bend by the skin of his teeth if he had not braked.

Hughes, of Greenfield Road, Colne, who no longer has the Renault 5 turbo, but is still paying for it, was fined £200 with £50 costs, and six penalty points.

Charles Brown, prosecuting, said in January 1998, shortly after 11pm, Hughes decided to go for a drive and on the approach to the bend was said by Miss Wright to be going at about 80mph.

It was not contended he was going at that speed on the bend itself, but prosecution accident investigators estimated he was travelling at between 60 and 70mph. Hughes braked, causing the back of the vehicle to skid and he "lost his back end." His vehicle hit a wall, rolled over five times and landed on its roof.

Crash investigators said his error had been applying the brakes at speed taking the bend as the rear would not have swung out of control. Mr Brown said both the defendant and his passenger were injured. Miss Wright was taken to hospital by ambulance and suffered general bruises, plus a cut to her head which needed 12 stitches. She also had swelling to her face and still suffered from back pain and headaches.

When Hughes was fit he was interviewed, said he had lost control and added he thought he had been going about 60mph.

Roger Baldwin, defending, said Hughes found himself in a situation everyone had found themselves in from time to time - taking a bend a little too quickly and braking. It was a momentary bad assessment of what manoeuvre he should be taking and he should have carried on without braking.

Hughes, a warehouse inspector, had no previous convictions.

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