After being told his test could not go ahead, a furious learner driver took an examiner on a journey from hell. Artur Nowak, 33, dad-of-two sped through a red light with terrified examiner Karl Pollitt in the passenger seat.
Ignoring Mr Pollitt’s pleas to stop as he broke the speed limit on a busy road Nowak, of Salford, stared straight ahead. A shaken Mr Pollitt eventually managed to get out when Nowak pulled into a side road. But Nowak, who is from Poland, accelerated away and the car door hit the examiner in the face, leaving him with a swollen eye.
A court heard that Mr Pollitt was left ‘an emotional wreck’ by his ordeal. Bolton Crown Court was told that he was off work for a long period and had needed counseling.
The jury heard how Nowak, of Kimberley Street, Salford, had become angry when the examiner told him that his test could not go ahead.
Mr Pollitt had spotted that Nowak’s car had an electronically-operated handbrake, which is not allowed in the test. Because he believed he needed a British licence for his work as a property maintenance engineer for a Salford housing association, Nowak was desperate to pass.
But he was allowed ironically, by law to continue driving with his Polish driving licence. Susan Carter, prosecuting, said Mr Pollitt was shaking and felt sick after his 10-minute ordeal. She said: “The whole experience has left him anxious and frightened.”
Defender Mark Friend, said Nowak, who has lived in Britain since 2003, was genuinely remorseful after the incident on 20 October and said Nowak had been under immense pressure.
Nowak had failed a previous driving test and had been abusive towards another examiner, the court heard. Nowak, who admitted false imprisonment, was ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and pay £250 compensation.
"I didn't do anything wrong. Why should I feel guilty? I just pleaded guilty because that's what the solicitor said would be better for me. If I kept him in that car against his will I'm really sorry but I thought his decision was wrong," said an unrepentant Nowak.