A YOUNG drink-driver who had led police on a high-speed chase called the pursuit to a halt when faced with an officer armed with a gun.
An armed response PC pointed his weapon in an 'off-arm stance' towards the Audi being driven by 22-year-old Jonathan Trafford, Burnley Crown Court was told.
Prosecutor Stephen Parker said it appeared that Trafford was about to drive off, after bring effectively 'boxed' in by police but the gun had 'brought him to his senses'.
Trafford, of Co-operative Buildings, Cliviger, had been committed for sentence by Burnley magistrates after he admitted to dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, driving with excess alcohol, having no insurance and having no driving licence.
Mr Parker said that initially the car being driven by Trafford was reported to have been stolen during a robbery.
But this would turn out to be false, the court heard, as the keys had been handed to the defendant by the owner, who had been drinking.
The chase began at the Boundary Garage, near the Burnley and Rossendale border, with Trafford's vehicle seen to reach speeds of 75mph on the 50mph limit stretch shortly afterwards, the court was told.
An unsuccessful attempt was made to halt the car's progress in Rossendale Road, as Trafford continued to speed into Burnley, ignoring requests to stop.
Later the pursuit was taken up by a second police car, with a trained officer at the wheel, as they went fork Cog Lane, along St Matthew's Street to Raglan Road, Every Street and Healey Wood Road, where the defendant narrowly avoided crashing into a taxi.
The court heard that after the vehicle was boxed in and the armed police officer had drawn his weapon, Trafford soon surrendered.
Later he gave a breathalyser reading of 65mg in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.
Trafford was bailed until July 7 by Recorder Andrew Long for pre-sentence reports.
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