A DRUG addict caught driving a purple Toyota while banned from the roads claimed his friend had been behind the wheel – but reclined the driver’s seat and scarpered when they saw police.

Lee Turner, whose record includes stints behind bars for firearms offences, robbery and a stabbing, was jailed for eight months at Swindon Crown Court this morning.

The 32-year-old was found guilty by magistrates last month of possession of a blade and driving while disqualified.

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Lee Turner's police custody shot Picture: WILTSHIRE POLICE

Prosecutor David Maunder told the court two police officers had been parked up at the Chiseldon service station in the early hours of October 21 last year when they saw a purple Toyota Urban Cruiser pull into the garage. It lurched forward before stopping, as if the engine had stalled.

Turner got out the car, ran over to the cash point and was spotted by one of the officers, PC Luke Hobbs. Although he could not recall the man’s name, PC Hobbs recognised him as a disqualified driver.

The defendant was overhead saying “get the f*** up here. The police are here” into a mobile phone.

The officers drove a little way down the road and parked up, watching Turner to see what he would do.

He walked to the A346, adjacent to the garage. Stopped by the officers and challenged, he told them he had not been driving the Toyota – despite there being no one else with him or in the vicinity of the car. He had a key to the car on him.

Inside the Toyota, police found a hunting knife in its sheath on the passenger seat. The defendant tested positive at the roadside for cocaine.

He was arrested. Turner claimed several times that he had coronavirus; a check of his phone showed he had received a message from the NHS telling him to isolate between November 16 and 24 as he had come into contact with someone who had tested positive for the virus.

Later interviewed by officers, he continued to deny being the driver. He said his friend had been behind the wheel but had reclined his seat and fled without being seen by police. He declined to name the friend. He said he had been looking to buy drugs.

The court heard Turner had more than 20 convictions on his record, including for a firearms offence, robbery, assault with intent to rob, GBH and possession of a blade. He had been banned from driving for a year in January 2020.

Turner, formerly of Manton Street, but appearing before the court via video link from HMP Bullingdon, was found guilty by magistrates last month of driving while disqualified and possession of a blade.

Ehsanul Oarith, mitigating, said the knife had not been used in any way. Although Turner’s record was bad, it was some time since he had committed a serious offence. He had become addicted to drugs, but while in prison on remand had undertaken courses aiming at addressing his addictions.

Jailing Turner for eight months, Judge Peter Crabtree said: “I accept that the weapon, the hunting knife, was in a sheath but you had it with you. You may not have had any specific intention to use it, but it was available.

“You’ve shown a propensity in the past to use weapons and you on your own admission had consumed drugs that day and were out looking to purchase drugs. Who knows what might have happened had there been any altercation.”

The judge noted that Turner had been ordered by the NHS to isolate at home when he was arrested by police. “I don’t sentence you in relation to that in terms of any breach of the law but it is part of the background here and I have some regard to it.”

He was banned from driving for six months with a one month extension period. Turner thanked the judge at the end of the hearing.

Welcoming the sentence, PC Andy Lee of Wiltshire Police said: "The custodial sentence is a good reminder how seriously we and the judiciary take incidents like this is and, coupled with the charge of possessing a dangerous weapon, a prison sentence is the only appropriate option in this case."