A MAN who was three times the drink drive limit led police on a lengthy pursuit around Wrexham city centre in his grandad's pickup truck, a court heard.
Nicholas Suckley, of Y Gamer in Glyn Ceiriog, appeared at Mold Crown Court for sentence on Thursday morning.
The 29-year-old had previously admitted charges at a previous hearing, including: drink-driving, dangerous driving and driving without an insurance or licence.
Rosemary Proctor, prosecuting, told the court that at around midnight on December 10, police were contacted by staff at Wrexham Maelor Hospital after Suckley had attended in a state of intoxication and then driven away.
About an hour later, another call to police confirmed he'd returned to the hospital and was driving "erratically" in the car park.
With the help of CCTV operators, police managed to track Suckley down and deployed a stinger - which he went over and continued driving.
He was followed to Morrisons car park on Ruthin Road.
There, he ignored instructions to stop and circumvented several police vehicles - making off once again.
Suckley was stopped as he was about to join a roundabout, but not before lunging forward and hitting a police vehicle.
The court saw a CCTV compilation of Suckley's driving around the centre of Wrexham which, owing to it being the weekend in the run up to Christmas, was busy with revellers.
He passed close by several of those revellers, some of whom were at the edge of the pavement and walking at the roadside.
At times he was also seen mounting and driving along the pavement and straddling the central white line, as well as driving with no lights on.
Ms Proctor told the court Suckley has five previous convictions for 14 offences - some of which were relevant motoring convictions.
Alun Williams, defending, told the court: "I cannot argue - it is clearly a prolonged piece of highly erratic driving.
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"It is exceptionally fortunate that no one was injured.
"The vehicle was his grandfather's - and this is something he's done in the past.
"He's procured vehicles which don't belong to him and driven very poorly whilst in possession of them."
Mr Williams said his client, whom he described as a 'binge-drinker', suffers with mental health difficulties.
Some 12 month ago, he was admitted as an inpatient at the Heddfan Unit, he explained - and was re-admitted for a week just one month before the offences.
His mental health background also provided some context as to why he attended Wrexham Maelor Hospital as well.
"It is pertinent that on this occasion he attended Heddfan and was trying to get in," Mr Williams explained.
"That speaks volumes - it was a very clumsy cry for help."
Recorder Wyn Lloyd Jones told the defendant a suspended sentence would not be sufficient punishment for his "highly prolonged" episode of dangerous driving.
He jailed Suckley for 12 months and banned him from driving for five years (with an additional six months ban to take account of the custodial element of his sentence before release on licence.)
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