'Dangerous driver' who failed to stop after accident in Chapel St Leonards was banned 25 years ago

Craig Smith, 52, of Grasmere Avenue, Chapel St Leonards, admitted the offence, as well as failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis, failing to stop after an accident and driving without insurance, when he appeared at Boston Magistrates Court.

Prosecuting, Marie Stace said that Smith, while driving his Peugeot Partner car, was involved in a collision with a BMW car in Trunch Lane, Chapel St Leonards on December 5 but drove off to his home without stopping.

She said the driver of the BMW knew Smith and called the police, who went to his home, but when he failed to give a breath test, he was arrested.

He was then found to be a disqualified driver from a conviction for dangerous driving in 1997, which meant he was obliged to take an extended driving test before driving again, but he had not done so.

Ms Stace said he told police he had not realised he was still banned and had only driven the short distance to his home after the collision.

Mitigating, Helen Coney said there had been no offending since 2013 and he did not realise he was still disqualified following his conviction in 1997, as he had had subsequent driving bans which had all expired.

She said he had just gone to the shop and back and that he and the BMW driver knew each other.

She said he now knew he had to take the extended driving test and had decided he no longer wanted to drive at all.

Smith was given a two year community order and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work for the community and to take part in 40 rehabilitation days.

He was also ordered to pay a total of £180 of court costs and charges.