Blackpool man who fled police after drinking 28 Jagerbombs is found 90 minutes later with broken ankle and trouser leg missing

Ross Anthony Hoyle, 22, of Westgate, Rochdale, discarded a folding pocket knife as he ran away from officers on Queen Street, Blackpool, on November 15 last year.

He was found 90 minutes later with his trouser leg missing and a fracture.

Prosecuting, David Clarke said: " At around 3am PC Woods was asked to go to Dickson Road in Blackpool.

"He arrived with a few of his colleagues and there was a suggestion the defendant had been arguing with some people.

"He was very intoxicated and in fact he claimed he'd consumed 28 Jagerbombs.

"The defendant ran off after initially giving false personal details. As he ran from Queen Street he was seen to discard something, which was the folding pocket knife.

"Police drove round for 30 minutes trying to find him, but other colleagues picked him up 90 minutes after that. Somehow in the meantime he'd had some sort of mishap and one leg of his trousers was now missing."

He was taken to the police station where he gave a no comment interview.

Former labourer Hoyle, who has nine convictions for 20 offences, faced a mandatory six month sentence as he had a knife crime on his record from 2017 - but the defence urged leniency.

Defending, Neil Howard said: " He was very intoxicated and cannot remember any of the initial argument. When the police had pulled him to one side he said he effectively panicked

"The knife fell out of his back pocket - it never actually brandished.

"During that chase he comes to some harm and he actually broke his ankle and went to hospital that night - it was quite a severe break from which he hasn't fully recovered.

"It is now perceived as being very foolish. He promised he'd turn his back on offending and is very remorseful. He accepts he acted extremely selfishly because he recognises the strong reality of prison at a time when his partner and children need him more than ever."

Judge Beverley Lunt suspended his six month jail term for a year.

Imposing a rehabilitation activity she said: " I'm required to take into account the current circumstances of the pandemic, in particular where it would be a very short period of imprisonment.

"Interestingly in this case you were involved in an altercation but you did not produce at any stage that weapon - it only appears when you ran away.

"It must be the minimum term, I'm satisfied of that, but bearing in mind the peculiar circumstances and that you didn't produce or brandish it, I am prepared to suspend the sentence.

"There will be no second chance. this is it. You must not carry knives."