A MAN high on cocaine ran a red light and smashed into a car on Black Dam roundabout on Christmas Eve and made off from the scene, a court has heard.

Asmin Shahi, of Hammond Road in King's Furlong, was disqualified from driving for 18 months and told to complete unpaid work after the accident, which caused two people to sustain injuries.

The 29-year-old had almost double the permitted amount of cocaine in his system when the crash occurred.

The court heard how Shahi entered the roundabout from the A30 in the direction of Old Basing between 8 and 8.30pm, whilst the victim had just left the M3 and was approaching from that side. She went through a green light when she saw Shahi approaching from the side. She applied her brakes but was unable to avoid slamming into the side of the vehicle.

Prosecutor Serena Edwards told Basingstoke Magistrates' Court that the victim got out of the car and asked the defendant to call the police, when one of his passengers told her to "chill out".

Shahi and his passengers left the scene soon afterwards, heading in the direction of Basingstoke hospital.

His defence solicitor, Ed Stott, said this was because his friend was injured and he thought it best to take him to hospital, whilst Shahi interjected in court: "I panicked". However, his car was more damaged than he realised, and was not able to make it there.

Around three hours later, at 11pm, he rang police from Joule Road in Houndmills.

Both District Judge Timothy Pattinson and Ms Edwards cast doubt on this version of events, saying that Joule Road was in the wrong direction from the hospital.

The case had been delayed after Shahi returned home to his native Nepal just before lockdown, when a trip that was due to last a couple of weeks ended up being a much longer stay.

He returned to the UK around a month ago, and has since got a job working in a warehouse.

Because he works night shifts, District Judge Pattinson decided that a curfew was inappropriate, and instead ordered him to do unpaid work.

Summing up, he said: "This is a serious case. There were injuries caused to two people and serious consequences of that accident.

"I think you were under the influence of cocaine when the accident occurred."

As well as the community order, which will see Shahi do 120 hours unpaid work in the next 12 months, and the disqualification from driving, he was fined £140 for driving without due care and attention.

His driving licence has been endorsed and he will be forced to pay a £90 victim surcharge on top of costs of £85.