A SPORTS car driver knocked down a 12-year-old boy then drove off from the scene, a court heard.

Alan Mohammed jumped a number of red lights and forced other motorists to swerve out of his way as he was pursued by a van driver who witnessed the accident.

Mohammed, aged 22, of Starcliffe Street, Moses Gate, Bolton, eventually stopped when he drove down a dirt track and was blocked in.

Yesterday, he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, and driving without insurance when he appeared before Bolton Magistrates' Court.

The court heard that Mohammed, who has a provisional driving licence, hit a 12-year-old boy while driving to Cricketers Way in Westhoughton on November 9, last year.

The hearing was told that Mohammed, who moved to Bolton from Iraq five years ago, was not to blame for the accident, because the boy had stepped out in front of him.

The boy was not seriously injured, but Mike Ardern, prosecuting, said Mohammed failed to stop at the scene and drove off in his Vauxhall Tigra, which he had bought that day.

The van driver followed him and Mohammed was seen to jump a number of red lights. Other drivers swerved to avoid colliding with him, before he turned into a cul-de-sac, where the van driver attempted to block him in.

Mohammed reversed and drove across the pavement and residents' front gardens in a bid to escape.

He finally stopped on a dirt track off Wigan Road in Westhoughton, where a member of the public helped the van driver to detain him.

Mr Ardern said: "When asked why he did not stop, the defendant told them it was none of their business. The defendant then contacted the police himself. "

Defending, Michelle Dance said her client "panicked" but tried to make amends by handing himself in.

Mohammed was disqualified from driving for 18 months. He was also given a 12-month community order and given 200 hours of community service and told to pay £100 costs.