A drug driver has been told he will be sent to jail unless the attends rehabilitation meetings with the probation service.

Tristan Martin was ordered to do ten days of rehabilitation activities after he admitted driving while disqualified at Exeter Crown Court in April.

The driving ban was imposed after he drove dangerously and under the influence of cannabis in Kingskerswell in 2020, narrowly missing a pedestrian as he tried to out run police.

He was brought back to court after missing a string of appointments in August, October and November this year.

Martin, aged 27, of Britannia Avenue, Dartmouth, admitted being in breach of a community order and had four additional days added by Judge David Evans at Exeter Crown Court.

He reserved any further breaches to himself and told Martin: “You have been given many chances, despite reoffending and failing to comply with orders.

“If you fail to attend further appointments, you will be brought back in front of me and I am going to re-sentence you to imprisonment. Do you understand that?”

Mr Herc Ashworth, prosecuting, said Martin missed three meetings without giving adequate explanations but has attended others. He said probation want the order to continue and feel they can still work with him.

Martin, was not represented, but agreed to improve his performance under the community order.

In the original case of dangerous and drug driving, he received a six months suspended sentence which has now expired. He was also banned from driving for 12 months and until he had passed an extended re-test.

He was found to be three times over the safe limit for cannabis after he drove on the wrong side of the road and narrowly missed pedestrians during a police chase in June 2020

He tried to outrun the police when they tried to stop his Ford Fiesta car and sped off for a second time after pulling over.

He reached a speed of 70 mph during the pursuit around Kingskerswell during which he ignored road markings and drove aggressively.

He had three times the legal limit of cannabis in his blood and police later found a cannabis plant at his home. He pushed a female police officer into a fence as he tried to run away.

Mr William Parkhill, defending in the 2020 case, said Martin is remorseful and apologetic and keen to receive help from the probation service to address his drug use and other issues.

He is a carer for his younger brother who is still in full time education. He is not working at the moment but has been a trawlerman in the past and wants to do so again.