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A boy racer “came close to almost killing” a family of three after he shunted their car into a bush while speeding towards them “like a bullet,” a court heard.
Stephen Hill drove on the wrong side of the road and narrowly missed hitting a police car as he hit estimated speeds of up to 80mph on busy Northumberland streets.
The 20-year-old, who was 19 at the time, left a family with “whiplash type injuries” after crashing into them at speed in Bedlington.
The victim, who had been out with his partner and 17-year-old stepdaughter, said they had been left “traumatised” by the collision and that was “still in pain” more than six months later.
Now Hill has avoided being locked up after a judge was moved by the victim’s generous letter asking for him to be “rehabilitated”.
Prosecutor Ellen Wright said Hill was spotted by two police officers on May 9 driving a white VW Golf “at a high speed” and crossing the road onto the wrong side.

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A man has appeared in court over an alleged assault in Bedlington at the weekend.
Police received a report of an assault at an address on Stakeford Lane at around 2.30pm on Saturday.
Emergency services attended the scene and a 23-year-old man was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police have said that a 48-year-old man and a 20-year-old man were arrested in connection with the incident.
However, the 48-year-old man was released with no further action.
The 20-year-old man has been charged with a section 19 assault and appeared at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

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A serial shoplifter has been locked up after stealing hundreds of pounds worth of food from a shop he was already banned from.
Curtis Telford, 21, was released from prison in October following a conviction for a knife point robbery at the Co-op Store, Guide Post, Choppington.
Telford, previously of Ashington, was banned from entering the store again and warned he would wind up back behind bars should he breach the order.
But he ignored the instructions, stealing nearly £400 worth of meat from the store as well as coffee and shampoo.
He also targeted three other stores in the area.
Officers reviewed CCTV from all the shops, quickly identifying Telford as the prime suspect.

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A learner driver who was involved in an horrific motorbike crash just minutes into his first lesson died as a result of a tragic accident, an inquest heard.
Darren Jobling, 50, was killed after being flung from his bike and crashing into a tree on Front Street West in Bedlington on July 29 last year.
A hearing at Newcastle Civic Centre heard no reason could be found as to why he rapidly accelerated and lost control of his Yamaha 700cc bike, after being described as a "smooth and competent" driver.
His bike was found 30 metres further down the street where it had ploughed into a parked white Kia Sportage.
Emergency services, including the air ambulance, were called to the scene at about 12.15pm and he was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, where he died around four hours later.
His family said he has been a "huge miss" and thanked emergency services who tried to save his life.

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As wedding preparations go, it doesn't get much more stressful than this.
Yet not even a 400 mile dash to beat lockdown could ruin newlyweds Ami Glass and Kamron Arasteh's magical day.
The couple were due to tie the knot on Saturday November 7 at Ellingham Hall.
However those plans were thrown into disarray when, exactly a week before the ceremony, Boris Johnson called another lockdown.
Unwilling to wait, the couple embarked on a mad scramble to move the wedding forward - staging it just hours before the lockdown was imposed on Thursday.
Everybody from the venue to the make-up team moved mountains to make it happen, and after an eight-hour drive from Dorset the couple finally said 'I do' on Wednesday November 4.

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Police investigating an incident where a cyclist suffered serious head injuries have said they no longer believe it to be suspicious.
Officers were called to Bedlington shortly before 11.30am on Saturday, November 7, after a lone female cyclist was found lying in the middle of the road on Attlee Bank.
The 46-year-old had suffered serious injuries to her head and was taken to hospital by paramedics where she currently remains.
Police launched an investigation into the circumstances and appealed for information from the public.
However, they now say they are no longer looking for any suspects in relation to the incident.
A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: "Over the weekend, officers launched an appeal for information in a bid to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and ascertain if any criminal offences had been committed.

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A vile thug has been jailed after racially abusing and spitting at police officers while claiming to have coronavirus and tried to bite nurses trying to treat him in hospital.
Mark White subjected emergency workers to a tirade of physical and verbal abuse after being arrested in Northumberland.
The 36-year-old called officers horrific racist names, headbutted one of them and spat at two insisting he had Covid-19.
He was also disgusting with nurses who were attempting to treat him after he sustained an injury while being restrained by officers.
White, of Briarwood Cottages, Annitsford, North Tyneside, called one at the police station a "fat s**g" then when taken to hospital he tried to bite nurses' hands and threatened to headbutt one if they tried to help him.
Newcastle Crown Court heard how White, who has 106 previous convictions, has an "appalling" record for attacking police officers.

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Vile thug Conor Parker said he hated the police after spitting at officers and trying to land headbutts.
Parker displayed shocking aggressive behaviour at Bedlington police station after being taken there in August.
A court heard he seemed "almost delirious" as he grabbed an officer's neck, tried to headbutt a PC twice and spat directly at two officers.
A judge at Newcastle Crown Court said the attacks left the police officers frightened.
Judge Christopher Prince told Parker: "Any offences that are committed against public workers, such as police officers, will always be treated seriously by the courts.
"These are the people who protect the public and indeed protect you, as a member of the public.

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Obsessed stalker Robert Edington threatened to rape his former partner after bombarding her with calls and repeatedly turning up at her workplace and her friend's house.
The TV aerial engineer could not cope with the end of his two-and-a-half year relationship and tried to use threats to himself and her to force her to change her mind.
A court heard he made up to 100 unwanted calls to her a day and even followed her into the female toilets of a pub, peering over the cubicle.
He also had to be spoken to by her boss after going to her place of work five or six times a day, three times a week.
Newcastle Crown Court heard Edington left her and her friend, who he also harassed, living in fear.
Clare Anderson, prosecuting, said the relationship had ended in June amid issues of drug misuse which she had asked him to get treatment for. She added there had been allegations of domestic violence.