A cocaine-snorting scaffolder almost ploughed into pedestrians as he sped a dirt bike up and down a busy high street while high on drink and drugs.
Noah Hazeldine rode the electric Neon Thunder Pro 5000w through Ashford town centre one evening in March, narrowly missing people outside pubs.
The 22-year-old, who had no licence or insurance, then lashed out at police called to the scene, kicking one officer during a resulting “struggle”.
He was also found with cocaine, and had remnants of the Class A drug around his nose.
But despite admitting seven offences, he was spared an immediate prison term when he appeared before Folkestone magistrates on August 12.
Neil Sweeney, prosecuting, outlined Hazeldine’s offending to the court.
“It was late in the evening of March 30 and he was spotted by Ashford Council’s CCTV operators going up and down the high street at speed, and had a near-miss with some pedestrians,” he said.
“We say his driving was not at a standard of careful driving as he went on the pavement near the Glass House pub and almost hit some pedestrians near the Wetherspoons pub.
“His driving was impaired. It’s at the high end of driving without due care and attention, and he had no licence or insurance.”
When police arrived, Hazeldine failed to stop and was found near the George Hotel and WHSmith.
The prosecutor said: “There was a struggle and he kicked the officer, and then he was taken to the ground and officers suspected he had remnants of class A drugs on his nose and he smelt of alcohol.
“He then refused a drug swipe and a roadside breath test and, back at the station, he also refused to give blood (a sample for analysis).”
PC James Sullivan said in a victim impact statement that Hazeldine had no respect for police and had struck him in the leg during the struggle. He was not injured.
The officer believed Hazeldine was trying to evade arrest because he had cocaine on him, adding he was just doing his job when he was assaulted.
Nigel Numas, defending, said his client had been going through a bad time at the time of the offences, having witnessed a graphic suicide which left him with post-traumatic stress disorder.
He added Hazeldine had been bullied as a child and was earning £500 a week as a scaffolder.
Mr Numas conceded: “He did drive fast past people in the high street.”
Hazeldine admitted assault on an emergency worker, two counts of failing to comply with a preliminary test, driving without a licence or insurance, driving without due care and attention, and failing to provide a blood specimen for analysis.
Magistrates said the offences were so serious that Hazeldine should be jailed for 12 weeks, but they suspended the sentence for 12 months.
He must also complete 100 hours of unpaid work, was banned from driving for 32 months, and fined £750 for the assault on PC Sullivan.
