A Leigh man who was caught driving while banned from the roads and was found in a car with cannabis and a kitchen knife has been jailed.

Bolton Crown Court heard Jamie Delvin was on a suspended sentence when he came to the attention of police in March this year.

They approached the vehicle in Leigh he was seen besides, which was thought to be used in the supply of drugs.

A search of the vehicle revealed a small amount of cannabis and a kitchen knife.

Mark Pritchard, prosecuting, revealed what happened next.

“The defendant was in handcuffs, he ran towards the town centre.

“Members of the public assisted by starting which direction he had run in.

“He was arrested and taken into custody.”

The 28-year-old appeared in Bolton Crown Court to be sentenced after admitting driving while disqualified, without insurance and possession of cannabis.

He also admitted breaching a suspended sentence given out for aggravated vehicle taking and handling stolen goods given out in May 2021 by reoffending.

Mark Friend, defending, said he had got the date wrong for when his previous ban from the roads expired and had planned to use the vehicle to help him obtain employment.

He said: “It wasn’t a flagrant disregard for a court order.”

He also said in relation to the knife: “There is no suggestion it was brandished or used.”

Judge Tom Gilbart said: “Having a knife with you in public is a very dangerous thing to do, it carries with it the risk of injury, very serious injury being cause to others.

“It must be a custodial sentence.

“Driving while disqualified is also a serious matter, you should have known not to be behind the wheel of that car.”

He jailed Delvin, from Warrington Road, Leigh, for 64 weeks and said he will be banned from the roads for 18 months.