A FATHER-of-five driving without insurance fled from police before hiding in woodland near to his home.

Leonard Robert Young, 42, of Green Lane, Kingstone, pleaded guilty to driving while over the specified cannabis limit, driving without an appropriate licence or insurance.

Adrian Jones, prosecuting at Hereford Magistrates Court on Thursday said that police approached Young who was driving a Vauxhall Zafira on June 14, in Kingstone.

"He was acting suspiciously and when police stopped to talk to the the driver he made off out of sight," said Mr Jones.

"A short time later they found the car at an address where the defendant lives with his wife. After making enquiries it was found that his wife was the owner of the vehicle and was the only one insured to drive it.

"She hadn't agreed for him to drive it. The defendant was arrested and smelt of alcohol but said he may have had a drink after driving.

"Young confirmed that he had noticed the police and that's why he turned around and drove off. He said that he knew police wanted to stop him."

Emma Prosser, mitigating, said that Young had previously been disqualified from driving in 2014.

She said: "He had made off and spent sometime in a wooded area before returning as he knew police were waiting for him.

"Unfortunately drink and drugs are an ongoing issue in his life. He has made huge progress but it's a long road for him which he has started.

"He wanted to pop to the corner shop to get some alcohol but knew his partner wouldn't approve and took the car. He wasn't drinking at the time but returned home and made his way to the wooded area where he consume the alcohol."

Magistrates adjourned the case for two weeks for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.