A YOUNG motorist has been banned and given a suspended jail term after nearly crashing into a policeman in a Basingstoke suburb.

Charlie Hart was driving his Peugeot 106 when the car was seen to fishtail at speed in Normanton Road, Oakridge.

Sergeant Carl Holmes walked into the road to stop him, but the 21-year-old carried on, swerving at the last minute to avoid hitting the officer, Winchester Crown Court heard.

Hart, of Lawrence Close, Popley, Basingstoke, was in the dock after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance.

The court heard Hart had recently bought the car from a friend. He was seen to be driving at speed around Oakridge at 2.30pm, on December 9 last year.

Gemma White, prosecuting, said three officers in Oakridge did not record the speed of the car, but judged it to be higher than the 30mph limit.

She said: “Essentially, Hart has driven his vehicle directly towards police officers. When Sgt Holmes pushed his bicycle in the middle of the road, he drove directly at him. There were no injuries caused, but more by luck than judgement.”

The car was found shortly afterwards in Upper Sherborne Road and Hart was arrested.

Chloe Jay, defending, said it was not a prolonged incident, and asked that Hart’s age and lack of previous convictions be taken into account.

Judge Andrew Barnett accepted that Hart had not deliberately driven at the officer, but called the driving “extremely dangerous”.

He sentenced Hart to five months imprisonment, suspended for one year, with 100 hours unpaid work. The judge disqualified Hart from driving for two years and said he would have to take an extended test to get back his licence.