County Durham driver crashed his VW Up into victim’s car

Ernest Howlett was spotted weaving all over the road in his VW Up before clipping the door mirror of the car, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The occupants of the car followed the 75-year-old, who continued to drive aggressively and brake heavily before crashing into their car again.

Charlie Thompson, prosecuting, showed the court a seven-minute clip of dash-cam footage which captured the incidents as they unfolded.

“The complainant followed the defendant towards Blackhall Colliery where the defendant repeatedly braked sharply, which the complainant believed was an attempt to cause a collision,” he said.

Mr Thompson said both cars eventually pulled over together and following a confrontation the defendant denied clipping the car before driving off at speed.

“While driving along Middle Street, the defendant has emerged suddenly from a side street causing a low-speed collision.

“He has got out of the car and aggressively approached the vehicle and began hitting the driver’s window and struck the complainant’s face.”

The court heard how the defendant denied that he had been driving dangerously telling police – ‘that’s how we drive in London’.

The defendant had 33 convictions for 89 offences on his record including 39 historic driving offences.

Howlett, of The Sidings, Blackhall Colliery, County Durham, was convicted of dangerous driving and failing to stop after an accident following a trial at magistrates’ court.

Jamie Adams, mitigating, said his client moved to the North East to get away from his past and he had worked a lorry driver for a number of years.

He added the pensioner rarely leaves him home due to his disabilities and ailing health but had handed in his licence as a result of the incident.

Read more:

Recorder Taryn Turner sentenced Howlett to 12 months in custody suspended for two years, and made him subject of a six-month curfew between 8pm and 6am.

She added: “Driving is a privilege and not a right, and when that privilege is exercised as it was here, irresponsibly, the potential consequences are grave.

“It was only good fortune and good driving on your part that the outcome was not more serious.”

Howlett was also banned from driving for three years.