Joe Cole’s father fled police breath test

The father of football star Joe Cole has been spared jail after fleeing from police at 90mph.

George Cole, 55, reversed into a police car, almost ran over an officer, sped off, ran a red light and drove on the wrong side of the road to avoid taking a breath test, Luton Crown Court heard.

Laura Blackband, prosecuting, said the incident happened after he had left his home in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, in his Audi Q7 after a family row. One of his worried sons called police who found him asleep in the car at a service station in Baldock four hours later.

When he was asked to get out of the vehicle and be breathalysed Cole refused and drove off.

A judge gave him a suspended four month jail term with supervision and an order to attend a drink driver's programme. He was banned from driving for a year and ordered to pay £500 costs.