A SWINDON man sparked a full-scale police manhunt after he ran away from the scene of an accident.

When Karl Jobson, 34, of The Street, Liddington, appeared before District Judge Simon Cooper at Swindon Magistrates' Court he admitted five charges, including failing to report an accident and failing to provide a specimen for analysis, when he

Kate Prince, prosecuting, told the court at 5am on March 26 police were called to the scene of a crash at the Commonhead Roundabout, in Swindon.

The noise of the crash had been so loud it had been heard at the nearby hospital, where staff had called the police.

They found an Audi RS3 on its roof and embedded in the roundabout.

Because of the state of the vehicle officers were concerned for the safety of the occupants.

“It had clearly rolled multiple times before stopping in the centre and there was debris all over the roundabout,” Mrs Prince said.

Inside the vehicle identification was found for Jobson and a female friend. The police helicopter was deployed but after a two-hour search no one was found.

The police were then called to a domestic incident at Jobson’s address where they found Jobson with several cuts on his face, holding a bottle of alcohol.

As they thought it was likely that Jobson had been in the crash and they took him to hospital where he was unco-operative, swore at the officers and refused to give a breath or blood specimen.

Amy Holden, defending, said Jobson had been due to attend the funeral of his father’s girlfriend the day after the accident and had been drinking in a bar.

After the accident he was very conscious of the funeral the next day so left the scene and went home where he had an argument with his partner who threw a glass into his face, causing the injuries.

She said Jobson had no memory of what had happened at the hospital because he had blacked out.

Jobson ran his own renovation business in Bath, employing three full-time staff and an apprentice.

The accident had happened at a bad time in his life and he was deeply sorry, probation officer Jackie Reynolds said.

The judge told Jobson: “You were driving a powerful car in the early hours of the morning and you embedded it in a roundabout. It was miraculous that you and your partner were not killed.

“The emergency services wasted their time looking for you because of their concern that you were seriously injured, only to find you were with your partner who you then accused of causing your injuries.”

The judge sentenced Jobson to 16 weeks in custody, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to undertake 140 hours of unpaid work and attend 10 rehabilitation days.

He was banned from driving for 24 months with a £115 victim surcharge and £85 costs.