A BANNED driver who led police on a dangerous chase and was hunted in the grounds of Caldicot Castle breached his suspended jail term when he was caught with cocaine and later smashed a woman’s windscreen.

David Wayne Samuel of Newport Road, Caldicot, admitted possessing class A drugs and criminal damage, but was spared prison after Cardiff Crown Court heard he was the victim of a brutal stabbing a year ago.

Judge David Wynn Morgan told the 30-year-old to “find his place in the community” and sentenced him to a 12-month community order including 15 days of rehabilitation activity and a 12-month conditional discharge.

The court heard that Samuel, who has been banned from driving for some 15 years, was given an 18-month suspended jail term in August 2020 for dangerous driving after sparking a police chase that involved the force helicopter.

Police spotted him driving a blue Mercedes while banned on the B4245 at Caldicot in August 2019, when he revved the engine and span the wheels as he tried to get away.

He swerved into oncoming traffic and hit a kerb damaging his tyre before dumping the car in a car park and making off on foot into the grounds of the castle.

There he was spotted “wading in the mud” of a reen, but managed to make his escape.

Cardiff Crown Court heard this week that in spite of the suspended jail term for that offence, Samuel was stopped on February 16, 2021, and caught with 13gm of cocaine, which he tried to hide in his mouth and dropped on the floor.

Joshua Scouller, prosecuting, also told the court that five months later he began “taunting and shouting abuse” at a woman and her daughter in the street before riding off on a push bike.

He then came back with another person on the bike and shouted “nice car”, before the woman returned home to find her windscreen smashed by a big piece of flagstone.

Harry Baker, defending, said Samuel had been “attacked” and “stabbed” by a gang of three men in Caldicot on February 22, 2021, with the trio later being sentenced to a total of nine years in jail.

“The most significant person in his life is his girlfriend, who faithfully attends every hearing she can,” he added. “She wants to get him sorted.”

Judge Morgan told Samuel: “With the assistance of the probation service you could be encouraged to find your place in the community again. I’m going to take that chance.

“But it’s no good going around saying ‘I’m a victim of crime, therefore I can get away with things’ – it doesn’t work like that.”