A DRUG dealer led police on a high-speed chase with his two-day-old daughter in the back of his car.

Paul Buston, aged 33, sped off after being stopped late at night with the baby in his car, a court head.

But police pulled back from the pursuit because it was not safe to chase him with the baby in the car.

Buston was stopped by police at 10.20pm on May 7 driving along Longcauseway in Farnworth.

The officer had spotted that there was a baby in the car and was concerned as it was late, Bolton Crown Court heard yesterday.

Buston, who was with his partner at the time, told the officer the pair had been showing off their new baby to friends.

She let Buston go, but saw the blue Hyundai again an hour later and became suspicious.

The officer flagged the car down and Buston, of Athlone Avenue, Astley Bridge, pulled into the Spar petrol station in Longcauseway.

He got out of the car, but returned to his vehicle, reversed at speed out of the forecourt and sped off in the direction of Higher Market Street.

The officer followed with emergency lights and siren, but quickly called off the chase, feeling it was not safe to pursue Buston with a very young child in the car.

Police caught up with him a week later when the same officer spotted his car.

He was stopped and cannabis, with a street value of about £400, and £630 cash was found.

Buston admitted to police that he dealt cannabis to friends and “friends of friends” to fund his own habit.

Bridget Baillie, defending, said Buston was working to address his drug problem and had also put together a business plan for his own cleaning firm.

But the court heard he had put the business on hold because of medical problems.

Buston pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and to possession of a Class B drug with intent to supply.

Recorder Brian Cummings QC said: “You drove away from police with a very small baby in a manner which was unlawful.

There was a risk of that driving becoming even worse had the police pursued you.”

He was given eight points on his driving licence and, because he already had five points, was banned for six months. He was also given a 12-month community order and a 12-month supervision order