Man, 22, sentenced for drugs and driving offences

A 22-year-old man has been sentenced after he pleaded guilty to drugs and driving offences.

In the early hours of November 9, 2023, Aleksander Hoda, previously of Northampton, was spotted by a police officer driving through a red light in Northampton town centre.

A police vehicle was deployed to the area and Hoka’s grey Audi A4 was spotted in Wellingborough Road. However, although the officers inside the vehicle signalled to him to pull over, he failed to stop and instead, drove off at speed.

This started a pursuit which would last for more than 30 minutes with Hoda driving dangerously across Northampton at excess speeds, on the wrong side of the road, including on solid white lines, driving the wrong way around a roundabout, and driving head on towards oncoming vehicles on national speed limit roads.

Finally, he was stopped by Overstone Gate after his vehicle was stung by officers.

Hoda was arrested and his vehicle was searched with a quantity of Class A drugs being found within the car. He was also found to be drug driving.

He was subsequently charged with possessing Class A drugs, driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road/in a public place without due care and attention, failing to stop, driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit, driving a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence and using a motor vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance.

After pleading guilty to the offences at Northampton Crown Court, he was sentenced on July 9 to 30 weeks in prison. He was also banned from driving for two years.

Lead investigator - Detective Constable Mae Taylor said: “Aleksander Hoda’s driving on that night in November could easily have had fatal consequences. He drove exceptionally dangerously, whilst under the influence, and it is through sheer luck that he didn’t kill or seriously injure anyone.

“I hope this conviction allows him to reflect on his behaviour so he can make better decisions when he is released from prison.

“We will continue working hard to make our county’s roads safer by ensuring people like Hoda lose their privilege to drive.”