A TEACHER was threatened with a knife by a carjacker who jumped into her vehicle as she drove home from school.

After being forced to drive robber James Bentley towards Farnworth, the terrified woman managed to flee her Ford Fiesta, running screaming into the road, a court heard.

Jonathan Dickinson, prosecuting, told how the woman, aged in her 30s, was driving home along Bolton Road, Kearsley, at 4.30pm on Wednesday, December 9 last year.

Bentley struck when she came to a stop in heavy traffic near the junction with Stoneclough Road, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Mr Dickinson said: “Before she knew it, the defendant had got into her front passenger seat.”

He ordered her not to look at him and told her he only wanted a lift.

But when she looked down she saw he was holding a knife near the gear stick.

After first saying he wanted to go to Liverpool, he then changed his mind to Manchester, then began rummaging in the glove box.

Bentley then demanded her purse, which she initially denied she had, but then handed it over.

When Bentley found it only contained £14, he demanded to be taken to a cashpoint so she could withdraw more money.

A seatbelt alarm then began to sound and as Bentley fumbled to put on the belt, the woman escaped from the car, running into lanes of stationary traffic close to the Starlights nursery in Bolton Road.

Her screams for help alerted other drivers, who got out of their vehicles.

But Bentley jumped into the driving seat of the Fiesta and attempted by make a getaway by ramming through traffic.

A Landrover was hit three times, he collided with the offside of a van and then shunted the back of a minibus taxi.

As he sped off the minibus driver followed him on to Plodder Lane and saw him turn into Slack Fold Lane.

A short time later police found the Fiesta in a hedge on the country lane after it had hit a fourth vehicle.

Mr Dickinson said an officer pushed his way through the hedge and found Bentley on the other side.

He was arrested, a four-inch bladed knife was found nearby and his mobile phone was recovered from the Fiesta.

Bentley, aged 35, of Deane Church Lane, Deane, pleaded guilty to robbery, having a knife in public, dangerous driving and driving while banned.

The court heard Bentley has an extensive criminal record, including serving prison sentences for previous robberies.

Sentencing was adjourned until June 6 to allow a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Bentley remains in custody until then but Judge Timothy Stead said he needed additional information to decide whether to pass an extended jail sentence for public protection.

He added: “As far as I am concerned this is a case where dangerousness is very much in the court’s mind.”