Man jailed and banned from driving after crashing a Range Rover brought into his car wash business

A man who was five times over the legal alcohol limit has been jailed after stealing and crashing a Range Rover taken into the car wash where he was working.

Naveed Rahman, 34, had been drinking spirits before he went to work at Prestige Bubbles in Alsager, Cheshire, run by his family.

He then got behind the wheel of the customer's Range Rover, writing it off as he crashed into a van and then a restaurant that was extensively damaged.Rahman pleaded guilty to several offences including aggravated vehicle taking, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the owner of the car had taken it to be valeted at the car wash, but received a phone call saying it had been driven without permission and crashed.The owner of the restaurant which was destroyed has also lodged a compensation claim of £42,000.

Damaged forced it to close for a month and the amount takes into account loss of earnings, loss of staff wages being paid, loss caused from the equipment and various items stored within the premises.The court heard Rahman had a previous conviction for drink-driving in the last 10 years which made him liable to a minimum three-year ban.Passing sentence Judge Fletcher told Rahman: "This was a shocking piece of driving by you. You went into your place of work under the influence of alcohol."You caused serious damage. Alcohol is a clear problem for you."You were on that day a danger to the public. Thank goodness no-one was injured as a result of that driving. I do think you present a risk to the public."Rahman was jailed for eight months and banned from driving for three years and four months.

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