Wanted! Man fled court before sentencing after causing car crash

Nicholas Smith, of Fowler Close, Louth, had appeared at Skegness Magistrates’ Court on March 22 and admitted failing to stop and give his name and address after being involved in the accident, as well as driving without due care and attention.

Dan Pietryka, prosecuting, said the accident happened in Upgate, Louth at 8.30pm on December 28 last year when Smith, who was driving his VW Golf with two passengers, failed to give way when coming out of Kidgate and collided head on with a brand new VW Passat, worth £28,000, effectively writing it off.

He said Smith’s passengers were left injured – one had to have 11 stitches in a head wound and the other had whiplash injuries – and the couple in the Passat both also had whiplash injuries.

He said Smith got out of the car and left the scene and was found 80 minutes later drinking in a wine bar, where he was given and failed a breath test.

He told police he had drunk four cans of lager at home and then a further two pints in a pub before the accident and then further drink in the wine bar.

Mr Pietryka said a back calculation had been made to establish Smith’s alcohol level at the time he was driving and it had come out at under 40 microgrammes, so no proceedings could be taken for that as the legal limit is 35.

Smith told the police the next day that he had panicked and ran off as he was scared, without checking on the occupants of either his car or the other car.

The magistrates stood the case down so that a Probation officer could speak to Smith and report back to the court but, after being seen by her, Smith left the court area and did not return when his case was called back on an hour later.

A warrant was issued for his arrest without bail.