Police tracked teen criminal through snow

James Baylor was speeding and police backed off because they feared he would lose control on a series of blind and tight bends.

He and a woman passenger later abandoned the car and were found hiding behind another vehicle after police tracked their footsteps in the snow.

Baylor, a 19-year-old builder, of Leslie Avenue, Thornton, pleaded guilty to failing to stop when requested by police, having no insurance and driving not in accordance with his provisional licence.

He was fined £250 with £85 costs, ordered to pay £25 victims’ surcharge and had eight motoring penalty points put on his licence by District Judge David Scanlon sitting at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.

Malcolm Isherwood, prosecuting, said police saw Baylor driving a Peugeot on Breck Road, Poulton, on January 17 about 2am. The vehicle was showing as having no insurance.

Police turned on their vehicle’s blue lights to signal him to stop, but he turned towards Skippool and his speed increased to more than 45mph in a 30mph zone.

There was snow and ice on the road, so police backed off fearing Baylor could lose control or there could be a head-on collision.

Officers lost the car but later saw it abandoned and followed footsteps in the snow from the vehicle to Brookfield Avenue where they found Baylor.