Driver being followed by officers in Mansfield forgot handbrake and rolled into police car

A careless driver forgot to put on his handbrake and rolled back into the police car that had been following him through Mansfield, a court heard.
Mansfield Magistrates Court.Mansfield Magistrates Court.
Mansfield Magistrates Court.

Vasile Pipina’s silver Vauxhall Astra was spotted running a red light, at 11.50pm, on April 24, and the officer activated his emergency lights.

“The car failed to stop and travelled at a low speed and was weaving across the lanes on Rosemary Street,” said prosecutor Emma Heath-Tilford.

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When he did stop, he failed to engage the handbrake and his car rolled back into the marked police vehicle, denting the rear passenger door.

“At that point he didn’t think his driving was dangerous, careless or inconsiderate,” she added. “But clearly he has accepted this today.”

Pipina, 41, of Cromwell Street, Mansfield, admitted driving without due care and attention, and without a licence or insurance, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Wednesday.

Speaking via an interpreter, Pipina said that in Romania, the vehicle rather than the driver is insured, and Romanian police signal drivers to stop with arm signals.

The court heard he had been in the UK for two months.

Pipina was banned for six months, fined £300 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 government surcharge.