A DRUG driver crashed into three cars and flipped his own car over before fleeing the scene.

John Walters, aged 29, overturned his car near Spar in Fern Street, Deane, at 2.40am on October 10 after using cannabis, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Michael Blakey, prosecuting, said Walters overturned his car and caused damage to a parked coupe, a Mercedes and Peugeot.

He escaped the overturned car with an injured hand and left the scene, the court was told.

Police arrested him a short time later after seeing him getting out of a taxi.

He was found to be in possession of a small bag of cannabis and a blood test revealed he was under the influence of the class B drug.

The offence was committed while he was serving a suspended jail sentence for unlawful wounding.

Hugh Barton, defending, said Walters panicked at the scene following the crash.

Recorder Elizabeth Nicholls, sentencing Walters, said: “You must have been driving at some speed or fairly erratically and hit at some impact for the vehicle to overturn.

“Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a very serious matter and can have very serious consequences, although fortunately not so serious in this case.”

Walters admitted possessing cannabis, driving while unfit through cannabis, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to report the accident.

He was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. His licence was endorsed with five points and he was banned from driving for six months.