A TEENAGER high on cannabis crashed into a parked car during a police pursuit.

Mohammed Khurram was just 17-years-old and only had a provisional licence when he was spotted driving a Ford Fiesta on Trinity Street, Bolton just after midnight on April 3.

Brian Berlyne, prosecuting, told Bolton Crown Court how police were alerted to the vehicle by damage on its offside and attempted to stop the car, but the driver sped off.

“Mr Khurram drove at about 45mph, drove through a set of red traffic lights and increased his speed to 50mph,” said Mr Berlyne.

The pursuit came to an end a short time later in Rushlake Drive.

“Her collided with a parked car causing minor damage and then abandoned the vehicle and ran off,” said Mr Berlyne.

“There was brief pursuit and he was arrested and detained.”

Officers noticed his breath smelled of cannabis and a blood sample revealed he had been using the drug.

Khurram, now aged 18, of Merehall Close, Bolton, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, drug driving, no insurance and no valid licence.

Martin Pizzey, defending, said: “The defendant accepts he has acted very foolishly and impulsively and has lacked the maturity and insight to see the danger he presented at that particular time.”

The court heard that Khurram has no previous motoring convictions and and has not offended since.

He was sentenced to an 18 month intensive community order which includes 150 hours of unpaid work, 25 days of rehabilitation activities and participation in a thinking skills programme.

He was also banned from holding a licence for 12 months, after which he will have to take an extended retest.

Judge Richard Gioserano told Khurram: “Some people think they can still drive safely when they have been smoking cannabis.

“If you do think that you are wrong.

“Any offence of dangerous driving is serious because of the risk it poses to other road users.

“In your case, fortunately, there wasn’t much traffic about, nor were there many pedestrians, but still there was the risk.

“In the end, although you were exceeding the speed limits, going though a red light or two, the aggravating features here are not as bad as we often see.

“If anybody else had been hurt you would be going to prison.”