A MAN has been handed a suspended sentence for driving his car “like a maniac” the wrong way round a roundabout while trying to flee a crash scene.

Marshall Dakadzwi, 26, of Bourne Close, Basildon, admitted one count of driving dangerously and one count of criminal damage when he appeared at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

Sentencing the defendant, Judge David Owen-Jones said: “You crashed your car into an Audi that was owned by Christopher Cranston.

“You then drove off like a maniac round a roundabout the wrong way and came off. The driving itself was clearly in a position to cause danger to other road users if not, at some stage, potentially pedestrians.”

Mitigating, his defence barrister Lucy Sweetland told the court a custodial sentence would have a severe impact on his life.

She said: “His mother and fiancee are here in court and he is mindful of the impact this has had on them.

“One of his brothers has recently received a substantial custodial sentence and so he now hopes to take an active role in his 13-year-old brother’s life to help his mother.”

Judge Owen-Jones said: “You have not the worst record I have ever seen but a prolific history of breaking the law including four convictions for criminal damage although I appreciate that those were committed when you were a juvenile.

“You felt that you were under some degree of pressure and potentially a threat and therefore you wanted to get away from him so drove in the manner that you did.

“I accept that the period of driving was only for a very short time.”

Dakadzwi was sentenced to eight months in prison for dangerous driving and four months for criminal damage to the Audi to run consecutively.

The sentence was suspended for two years and Dakadzwi was also ordered to pay £250 in costs as well as a victim surcharge.

He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months and must take an extended test at the end of that period.

Dakadzwi thanked the judge as he left court.