THE passenger in a car which was in collision with two cyclists in Crewe and Haslington has escaped a custodial sentence after a court heard he is the sole carer for his aging grandparents.

Kasey Wrench was drunk and drugged up travelling in the passenger seat of an unroadworthy Ford Fiesta which was in collision with Agnieszka Pocztowska as she rode her bike on Hungerford Road in Crewe on September 14 last year.

Care worker Ms Pocztowska died later from "catastrophic" injuries suffered as a result of the collision, which prosecutors say was being driven "on the wrong side of the road" so as to manoeuvre around parked vehicles.

The driver of the Ford was in collision with another cyclist in Haslington before driving out of Cheshire into Stoke-on-Trent, where he swopped seats with Wrench in Trent Vale, Chester Crown Court heard.

Police tracked the car into the Potteries and later arrested the duo. Wrench, 20, who was seen driving the battered vehicle for 400 metres, was charged with lesser motoring offences.

The driver alleged to be at the wheel at the time of both collisions, Nathan Schultz, of Ellgreave Street, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent faces a trial on more serious charges next year.

Suspending Wrench's 12-month custodial sentence for two years, Judge Simon Berkson told him: "You drove the car for a very short distance, but that is only half the story because this car had been driven by someone else that day and was in a collision that caused catastrophic injuries to a cyclist.

"You knew that accident had occurred because it must have woken you up as the wing mirror was struck.

"You [later] drove the car in a sense of panic because of what the vehicle had been involved in."

The judge said he had taken into consideration the care Wrench was providing for family members and added their lives would be "significantly affected" if he imposed a custodial sentence.

Prosecutor Maria Masellis outlined how Wrench was a passenger in the Fiesta being driven by Schultz after spending the night consuming drink and drugs.

He was said to be half asleep at the time of the first collision.

"The vehicle stuck a pedal cyclist on the opposite carriageway because it was on the wrong side of the road and overtaking parked vehicles," said Ms Masellis.

CCTV footage showed the driver turning the vehicle around and then slowing down to examine the collision site before driving off.

He was involved in a second collision with a cyclist later that day with the injured party, this time, escaping with minor injuries.

Afterwards the vehicle was driven into the Trent Vale district of Stoke-on-Trent and it was there that Wrench and the driver switched seats.

They were apprehended because the second cyclist was able to recall the car's number plate and police used APNR cameras to track its route.

Police discovered there was significant damage to the Ford Fiesta, including impact damage.

The car's tyres were unroadworthy and there was damage to the roof, bumper and offside.

Wrench was said to have asked police "Is it a death, is it? I know what has gone on."

In a later statement he made to the police he told how he had been drinking and taking drugs and claimed he had "gone to sleep" at the time of the collision and had no recollection of the second collision with the other cyclist.

Wrench, of Epping Road, Trent Vale, Stoke-on-Trent pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on Brookfield Road in Trent Vale, driving without insurance and driving without a licence, all on September 14 last year.

His barrister Phillip Vollans argued against the imposition of a custodial sentence, saying Wrench had benefited from work done with the probation service during a previous community order.

He said Wrench swopped seats in "panic".

"His life was burdened by drink and drugs" said Mr Vollans. "Since then he has turned away from that and he has employment as a fitter."

The defendant, said the barrister, was caring for ageing grandparents, who had raised him since the age of 10 after his parents' death.

His grandmother is affected by dementia and Mr Vollans added: "He appreciates that if he is given a custodial sentence that his last Christmas with her could be last year."

As well as the suspended sentence, Wrench was banned from driving for three years, told to attend a thinking skills course and complete 300 hours of unpaid work, as well as pay £300 court costs.