Baby was found in car after high speed chase

Adam Shannon, from Norley Hall, was found to have almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in his breath when he was finally pulled over near the town centre, Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court was told.

The 29-year-old was first spotted by police on Scot Lane at around 11pm on June 25 and then sped up in the Peugeot 206 after officers began following, at one point suspected of doing double the speed limit.

The court was told Shannon, of Falkirk Grove, slowed down as he drove through Springfield before finally bringing the vehicle to a halt on Northway.

Officers then looked in the car and noticed there was a woman in the passenger seat and the tiny infant also in the car.

Shannon, who admitted in court he had been drinking lager before getting behind the wheel, pleaded guilty to drink driving and was disqualified for 22 months and ordered to pay a total of £235.

Prosecuting, Alan Bakker said: “The police were parked at the junction of Challenge Way and Scot Lane watching passing motor vehicles and when the defendant passed they pulled behind him because of the speed he was travelling at.

“They said they were struggling to keep up with the vehicle as the defendant reached speeds of around 60mph.

“He became aware of the police presence and slowed to around 40mph, but all roads around there were still marked at 30mph.

“When they stopped him the officers challenged him regarding the manner of his driving, especially with a young child, but he didn’t believe it was untoward.

“They could smell alcohol on his breath and he failed the roadside test.”

Mr Bakker told the court Shannon provided a reading of 67 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath at the police station, compared to the legal limit of 35.

Shannon, who was unrepresented in court, told the magistrates he had gone back for his partner and was making sure she got home.

He also said he didn’t think he had drunk a large amount of alcohol, conceding he might have had two and a half or three pints.

He was fined £120 and ordered to pay a victim’s surcharge of £30 and costs of £85.

He accepted a drink-driving rehabilitation course which will lower his ban if he completes it within a time limit.