A DANGEROUS driver forced pedestrians to flee out of his path as he careered around streets trying to avoid being caught by police.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Benjamin Hargreaves was at the wheel of a VW Golf to spare a friend drink driving after a night out.

But Hargreaves had no insurance and panicked when he spotted a police car.

Charlotte Johnson, prosecuting, told how police were on Derby Street, Bolton, at 3.53am on February 27 when they spotted a Golf travelling towards them and going through a red traffic light.

Officers did a U-turn in their car and followed the Golf, which refused to stop.

"It continued towards Bolton at speeds in excess of 70mph," said Miss Johnson.

At the traffic lights of Moor Lane and Deane Road the Golf overtook a taxi, which was stopped at the red signal.

"The driver of the Golf drove through the red light when two pedestrians were trying to cross, causing those people to run across the junction," said Miss Johnson.

In Bolton town centre, doing 60mph, the car braked heavily and turned into Deansgate before careering around the back of the town hall into Le Mans Crescent.

Hargreaves and two passengers abandoned the car at the side of The Bolton News office and ran off, but were caught after a short chase.

He tested negative for drugs and excess alcohol.

Hargreaves, aged 29, of St John's Street, Darwen, initially denied he had been the car's driver during the three minute pursuit.

"He said he had been a rear seat passenger and when the vehicle stopped he climbed to the front of the vehicle and out of the driver's door," said Miss Johnson.

"He couldn't give an explanation as to why he made off on foot. He said one of the other males was driving but he wouldn't provide that male's name."

Hargreaves, who has no previous convictions, eventually admitted dangerous driving, failing to stop for police and driving without insurance on the day his trial was due to start last month.

Kevin Liston, defending, said Hargreaves, knowing he had no insurance, had panicked when he saw the police car.

"Thankfully nobody was injured and no damage was caused," he said.

He added that the father-of-two and his friends had decided he should drive the car.

"Him and his friends made the misjudged decision that him to drive without insurance was the better of two evils in order that his friend should not drink drive. It was a poor decision on his part.

"Save for this matter he has a normal, law-abiding lifestyle."

Judge Graeme Smith sentenced Hargreaves to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months and ordered him to participate in 15 days of rehabilitation activities.

Hargreaves was also electronically tagged and made subject to an 8pm to 6am curfew for two months.

He was banned from driving for a year, after which he will have to take an extended retest and must pay £340 towards prosecution costs.

Judge Smith told Hargreaves: "The dangerous driving followed from an extremely foolish decision to avoid the potential consequences of somebody, who had too much to drink, driving without considering other options such as getting a taxi."