A Horwich man who led police on an 80mph chase through the streets before crashing into a wall has been sent to a young offenders institution for 16 months.
Daniel Hobson, of Stanier Place, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court after pleading guilty to dangerous driving, drug driving, driving without insurance, and driving while disqualified.
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Prosecuting, John Kennerley told the court how the 20-year-old sped away from police at 80mph while driving a black Audi A6 on Mort Lane, Salford, in the late hours of Wednesday, March 22.
Driving with a passenger, the then-19-year-old continued to overtake vehicles on bends and failed to give way at a mini roundabout, before losing control of his Audi car on Peel Lane and crashing into a wall.
He was subsequently detained by police and taken to the Bolton Royal Hospital, the court heard, where he was found to be above the legal cannabis limit.
The court heard that Hobson, who has three previous convictions for six offences, led officers on the chase while on a suspended sentence as a result of another dangerous driving offence, for which he was sentenced in 2022.
Hobson was additionally fined for driving his vehicle over the drug limit and banned from driving for a year.
Effect of custody would be ‘too much’ for mother
Mitigating, Jordan Millican pointed out Hobson’s guilty plea in the magistrates court and the fact Hobson is ‘clearly lacking in maturity for his age’ as reasons he should avoid immediate custody.
Additionally, Mr Millican pointed out that, despite two friends being in the public gallery to support Hobson, his mother had been unable to attend the court as “the effect of immediate custody on the defendant’s mother would have been too much for her”, and that she had had “been restless and had sleepless nights.”
Mr Millican also said that Hobson had undertaken a level two qualification in joinery, and gained employment on January 21 from Steve Riley, the owner of a company which removes mould from people’s homes.
Mr Riley had written an email noting how Hobson is ‘always on time, well prepared and well presented, and is an asset to the company’, taking pride in his work.
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Offences ‘so serious, only a custodial sentence can be justified’
Recorder Michael Armstrong noted Hobson’s ‘history of poor compliance with court orders’, before rising to consider his sentence for more than half-an-hour.
Upon returning, Recorder Armstrong said the offences are “so serious, only a custodial sentence can be justified”, but that he would give credit for Hobson’s guilty plea and take into account the effect on his mother and level of maturity.
He continued that Hobson had a ‘high likelihood of re-conviction’ given his repeat offending, and said factors including the fact the offence was committed six months into a driving ban while subject to a suspended sentence order meant it would ‘not be appropriate to suspend’ his sentence.
Hobson buried his head in his hands as Recorder Armstrong told the court that he had decided to sentence him to immediate custody, activating two months of the original suspended sentence.
He was sentenced to a total of 16 months in a young offender's institution, of which he will serve half.
Additionally, Hobson was banned from driving for three years and eight months, meaning he will not be able to drive for three years after he is released.
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