Careless driver hits wall on A59 roundabout near Bolton Abbey

Daniel Charles, 26, who the court heard was temporarily living in Thailand, had earlier overtaken vehicles at speed and using a filter lane on the A59, the court heard on Friday.

A professional driver, who was part of a line of traffic following a car travelling at about 55mph at around 9.30pm on August 26, described seeing the vehicle appearing out of nowhere, of it going at about 80mph and later seeing it embedded in a wall on the roundabout at Bolton Abbey.

He pulled up, Charles was in the driver's seat with the wheels spinning, and his three passengers were telling him they needed to leave.

In a statement read out in court, the witness, who waited for the police to arrive, said the people in the crashed car were uncommunicative towards him and other people who stopped and eventually walked off in the direction of Harrogate.

He believed the driver, Charles, was under the influence of something, did not appear to be 'in full control of his body' and did not ask him to call the police.

Police later received confirmation that Charles had been the driver of the car at the time, and he travelled to Thailand on November 20.

Charles, of Park Drive, Horsforth, and of previous good character, was temporarily living in Thailand where he made a living cutting hair part-time, the court heard through his legal representative. He was unable to attend court because of an injury requiring him to use crutches and the length of the flight.

Through his legal representative, he admitted failing to stop after an accident, failing to report an accident and driving without due care and attention. There was no indication how much it had cost to repair the wall on the roundabout.

For the failing to report an accident, his licence was endorsed with 10 penalty points, was fined £513 and ordered to pay a surcharge of £205 and costs of £85. There were no separate penalties for the other offences.