A drug-driver who did a runner when police asked him to take a roadside test has been jailed.

A police dog helped track Stephen Mark Evans, 37, who was caught on the railway at Llandudno Junction and subsequently found to have cocaine and Ecstasy well over the drug-driving limit in his system.

Magistrates in Llandudno were also told that Evans, of Station Road, Deganwy, should not have been driving because had previously been disqualified.

Prosecutor Diane Williams said that police were informed that a suspected drink-driver had left Pontins’ camp in Prestatyn on August 27 and the car was spotted weaving from side to side on the A55 in Colwyn Bay. The car was stopped at Glan Conwy and Evans ran off.

While on bail for drug-driving he committed a series of offences in the Llandudno area, including three thefts of alcohol from shops and two public order offences, all committed while under the influence of alcohol.

Donald Roberts, defending, told the court that Evans expected to stay the night at Pontins but his friends had only day-passes. As his friend had drunk too much he offered to drive them home even though he knew he was disqualified.

He said the defendant’s spate of offending in recent weeks had been partly due to alcohol, partly to hardship because of problems over benefits, and partly to health problems. Until them however, he had been complying with the community order imposed by the court in January.

Jailing him for 24 weeks, concurrently, on the drug-driving and driving whilst disqualified charges, chairman Carol Ashton said that only a custodial sentence was appropriate because he had breached court orders and committed a number of offences in a short period.

Six-week sentences for the thefts and public order offences will also run concurrently, and he was banned from driving for four years.

The court heard that Evans, who admitted all the offences, had outstanding fines totalling over £6,000.