Wigan man made 'world's least successful' getaway attempt

Patrol officers had spotted John Fishwick’s Honda Civic on the Worsley Hall estate and had signalled him to pull over, Wigan justices were told.

But instead of stopping, Fishwick opted to drive home to Poplar Avenue, with the police following closely behind.

Defence solicitor Bill Pearson said his client just “panicked” and had decided to go straight home.

But when police, who knew he was banned from the roads for drug-driving, challenged him, he insisted they were mistaken, the court heard.

And after police placed him in handcuffs, in the rear of their van, he managed to struggle free, said prosecutor Katie Beattie.

“He launched himself out of the van and pushed past both of the offices, with one of them falling to the floor,” she added.

Fishwick was later caught on a footpath close to the Tesco store in Central Park Way. The handcuffs had to be cut off his wrist by firefighters because they were no longer operable.

Mr Pearson said Fishwick would indicate guilty pleas to offences of escaping from lawful custody, driving while disqualified, criminal damage and two police assaults.

He said: “I have spoken to him and he accepts that he has done something stupid. By way of an explanation he said that he panicked and it was a moment of madness. It was probably the world’s least successful attempt to avoid arrest.”

The court heard Fishwick, who had been in custody since his arrest, had lived with his partner and their two children at the same address for the past 12 years and was in full-time employment.

Magistrates bailed Fishwick to be sentenced at Bolton Crown Court on October 1, on condition that he continues to live at his Poplar Avenue address. Pre-sentence reports were also ordered.

The court heard Fishwick had been given a community order for drug-driving and obstructing police. He had tried to walk away from a police vehicle when officers were quizzing him about driving under the influence of cannabis.