3:14pm Tuesday 4th March 2008
A NETHERTON teenager who repeatedly drove a car at his girlfriend's former husband forcing him and three innocent bystanders to jump out of the way has avoided prison.
Daniel Biles, of Halesowen Road, admitted driving dangerously outside John Pardoe's home in Mount Grove, Wordsley and also without a licence or insurance.
The 19-year-old was handed a six-month jail term suspended for two years, banned him from the roads for two years and also made him the subject of a two year Supervision Order.
Biles got into the car and drove at speed straight at Mr Pardoe a number of times as he turned round in the road with the tyres screeching.
The Ford Fiesta mounted the pavement, said Miss Rhiannon Jones prosecuting, and Mr Pardoe had to leap out of the way along with three innocent bystanders who also had to take action to avoid being hit.
Mr Whitehead said Mrs Pardoe was involved in a heated discussion with her former husband about their split, how property was to be divided up and about her entering into a relationship with a much younger man.
"There is clearly a background to this offending," he added. "He accepts the circumstances are not attractive but there has been no further trouble and lessons have been learned."
The 19-year-old was "over protective for his loved one," said Mr Darron Whitehead, defending, because he feared she was in danger at the hands of John Pardoe.
"He knows he behaved irrationally and irresponsibly for a split second," he added. "He thought he was doing the right thing danger at the hands of John Pardoe.
Judge Rosalind Bush told Biles at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Tuesday March 4, the case crossed the custody threshold but ruled it was better for him to be taught how to think before he acted instead of giving him a short sharp prison sentence.
She said: "It is clear you were acting without thinking.
"It is serious enough that you drove straight at Mr Pardoe but more serious because it involved innocent bystanders.
"You showed a complete lack of understanding for other people and it is clear you put them in fear. "
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