A YOUNG motorist who was being pursued by police along a country road near Dalston twice overtook cars on blind bends.

Cub Thomas Mahon, 19, whose speed during the pursuit reached 90mph as drove on the B5299 near Dalston, showed "a deliberate disregard for the safety of other road users", Carlisle’s Rickergate court was told.

The defendant, from The Green, Houghton, admitted driving dangerously on July 31.

Police decided to follow the defendant after seeing his Mitsubishi Shogun Sport speeding through Dalston on to the B5299. As they attempted to catch up with the car, they first saw the defendant overtake another car on a blind right-hand bend.

“He narrowly missed a head-on collision,” said prosecutor George Shelley.

The Mitsubishi then overtook another two vehicles, despite having limited vision of the road ahead, said the prosecutor. He continued to drive away at speed even though the police car behind him had it blue lights and siren activated.

Mahon overtook on another blind bend at speed, said Mr Shelley and overtook again after crossing solid white lines. He then braked heavily before turning on to Peter Lane, speeding past cyclists while driving above the speed limit.

He eventually pulled over.

When police interviewed him, Mahon claimed he was unaware that there had been a police car behind him, but Mr Shelley said his driver side window had been wound down and he would have heard the siren.

“He denied driving below the standard of a competent driver but after seeing the dashcam footage he made admissions and offered an apology,” said Mr Shelley.

A young man of previous good character, Mahon was guilty of an extended piece of bad driving, said the prosecutor. “It involved a deliberate disregard for the safety of others while being pursued by police,” added Mr Shelley.

Lucy Redshaw, defending, said Mahon had accepted responsibility for the offence and knew he should not have driven has he did that day. “He went blank and made a silly decision by continuing to drive rather than pulling over,” she said.

The lawyer said Mahon regularly acted as a carer for his wheelchair bound grandfather, and helped him run his farm.

Miss Redshaw said the defendant was a young man who was trying to do some good with his life, having set up a landscaping business which he had been trying to wind down because of the inevitable driving ban.

She said a lack of maturity contributed to the offending, adding: “He has expressed remorse.”

Magistrates pointed out that another defendant convicted of a similar offence had been jailed for 15 months. For Mahon, they imposed 10 months jail, suspended for a year, with punishment in the form of 50 hours of unpaid work.

They said they suspended the jail term because of Mahon’s lack of previous convictions and the prospect that he will learn his lesson and be rehabilitate.

The defendant must also pay £85 costs and a £187 victim surcharge. In addition, the defendant will be banned from driving for two years and must pass and extended retest before driving unaccompanied again.