A man has been banned from driving for 18 months after he ignored police blue lights and continued driving for just under a mile.

Peter Batha, 43, did not immediately stop for officers and carried along the B4580 in Llansilin for 0.8 miles at around 9.30pm on April 7 this year. He claimed it was safer to continue driving home a dog that was inside the car to a nearby farm.

Welshpool Magistrates’ Court was told that Batha “knows he should have done everything differently”.

He pleaded guilty to failing to stop for a police officer and give blood for laboratory tests.

Owain Jones, acting for Batha, told the court that there was no evidence of bad driving.

“He says that when he was aware that the police were behind him, he didn’t believe it was a safe place to stop. His address was a mile further up the road and presumed police knew where he lived and knew where he was going.

Mr Jones added: “He believed requesting blood would cause bruising. He knows it’s not a good reason to refuse and today he has pleaded guilty to both offences and knows he should have done everything differently.”

Speaking about a driving disqualification, Mr Jones said: “He works in a remote location and bought a push bike to get to work but I’m conscious that kind of arrangement is unsustainable over many months.”

A pre-sentence report was read out in court by probation officer Hana Albiston. She said that Batha “accepts he would have done things differently”.

“He drove home to take a dog home to the farm. He also wanted to highlight that he was calm and compliant with the police.”

Magistrates disqualified Batha from driving for 18 months for failing to provide a specimen, which was the more serious offence.

Batha, of Berwyn View, Ellesmere, was given a 12-month community order that includes 10 rehabiliaton requirement days and 40 hours unpaid work. The court also ordered him to pay £514.