Man who dangerously drove into farmer at Rishton farm is sentenced

On Sunday, July 10, 2022, Shahnuwaz Hassan parked his black BMW car on the side of the track at a farm on Blackburn Old Road.

Preston Crown Court heard that when farmer Mark Island noticed the car, he politely told Hassan to move on as it was private land.

Mark and his father Richard Island went to feed their sheep for 20 minutes, but when they came back they noticed Hassan's car was still there.

Prosecutor Niamh Ingham told the court that Mark's brother and Hassan's victim, Christopher Island, then followed the car in his tractor as he was worried about the car speeding close to his two children.

But when Christopher got out of his tractor, Hassan reversed his car into the victim and onto a grass verge, knocking him into the air.

Hassan, of East Park Avenue, Blackburn, then began continuously revving his engine, intimidating Christopher to move, with Mark and Richard rushing over to help.

Defending, Andrew Pickin told the court that Mark and Richard then threw bricks at Hassan's car, which also injured the defendant and a woman in his passenger seat.

When Mark and Richard rang for an ambulance, Christopher was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital and had surgery for a broken wrist.

Hassan was arrested, failed a drug swipe, and was found over the legal limit for alcohol.

Hassan, 38, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, and has six convictions for 11 previous offences, including dangerous driving, resisting arrest and driving whilst disqualified.