A CONVICTED drug dealer failed to attend his unpaid work appointments despite living just a few minutes walk away, a court heard.

Justice Eza, of Harvest Park, Bolton, was sentenced in July last year after he lost control of the car he was driving following a dangerous police chase through Heaton.

During the incident in February 2019, Eza, who was aged 19 at the time, drove a hired BMW at speed of up to 60mph and collided with several other vehicles.

After crashing the car, Eza was found to be in possession of £1,300 worth of cannabis. Two mobile phones were discovered at the scene along with a stun gun, knuckle duster and £1,032 in cash.

A drugs test found he was was five times over the cannabis driving limit.

Eza pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, possession of a prohibited weapon, possession with the intent to supply class B drugs and possession of criminal property.

At Bolton Crown Court, Judge Graeme Smith sentenced Eza to a two-year sentence suspended for two years and ordered that he must carry out 25 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement and 240 hours of unpaid work.

The same court heard how Eza, now aged 21, failed to attend an unpaid work appointment on November 8 before turning up so late for an appointment on December 13 that he was sent home without working.

Karibo Lawson, defending, said Eza fully accepted what he had done and pleaded guilty to a breach of his sentence.

"He is a young man who has gone through quite a lot," said Mr Lawson, who added that both Eza's grandparents had died after contracting Covid-19.

"He has assured me he is happy to carry on working and said he wanted to do as many hours as he could before this court appearance."

Imposing a one month curfew between 8pm - 7am, Judge Smith said he was giving Eza "one final chance".

"You know you were very lucky not to go to custody in July," said Judge Smith. "I am really disappointed and I had hoped you would do better than this.

"Your normal address is only a few minutes walk away from your unpaid work so it is very easy for you unlike some people who have to take several buses."

Eva will also have to pay £102 costs.