'Very scared' Sunderland amateur football club chairman banned for dangerous driving as he fled from 'significant threat'

Paul Laws, 40, of Shaftoe Square, Springwell, overtook other motorists and flew through a red light, narrowly missing oncoming vehicles.

He did so while being pursued by the driver of a Volvo who the court heard had threatened violence following an altercation in the city on Monday, March 21.

The antics of Laws, chairman and treasurer of Hendon FC, and his chaser were caught on a shocked motorist’s dashcam.

Police were tipped off and Laws, who has never passed a driving test after twice failing 20 years ago, was traced, prosecutor Glenda Beck said.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving without insurance – and avoided a possible prison term.

Mrs Beck said: “At 12.10pm a witness was on Silksworth Lane, and was travelling behind a white car.

“He heard a loud noise and thought that it was a motorbike, but it was a Nissan Note travelling past on the other side of the road.

“It then turned left into Queen Alexandra Road, and headed towards traffic lights at Durham Road.

“It went through the lights and just missed cars travelling eastbound.

“The witness then saw a black Volvo coming up behind, which seemed to be chasing the Nissan.

“It also went through the red traffic light. He was able to catch it all on dashcam.”

The court heard a police notice-to-prosecute was sent to Laws’ wife as the registered vehicle keeper, and she confirmed he had been the driver.

In interview, plasterer Laws, a dad who has no previous convictions, said a man had given chase after making a threat of violence.

Rebecca Highton, defending, said: “Mr Laws knows what he did was wrong, he knows he shouldn’t have been driving.

“There was a significant threat made to Mr Laws. He wasn’t only a little bit scared, he was very scared.”

Magistrates in South Tyneside sentenced Laws to a 12-month community order, with 10 rehabilitation days and 200 hours of unpaid work.

He was also banned from driving for 20 months, and he must pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

The court heard the Volvo driver was never traced.