POLICE were put at risk as they pursued a 32-year-old driver with no licence as he drove dangerously through Hereford city centre, a court has heard.

Stephen Burgess crashed into them as they tried to stop and arrest him over several miles, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Burgess has never taken a test or held a driving licence but has motoring convictions, Paul Whitfield, prosecuting said.

Police first saw him driving a Peugeot near Much Dewchurch and Wormelow at 4.30am on December 29 last year. After discovering there was a question over the insurance, they put on their blue light to signal him to stop. He carried on.

Police followed him towards Hereford and he turned into Hillside Avenue in Redhill, squeezing through concrete bollards and driving onto the pavement to get away after he was boxed in. The police car turned around to cut him off.

“Burgess then turned left violently, veering across the road and got up to 50mph as he continued over Greyfriars Bridge and into Edgar Street,” said Mr Whitfield.

When another police car joined in, Burgess stopped voluntarily and got out.

Mark Thompson, defending, said Burgess, of Ebbw Vale, had been made redundant from his welder job sending him “downhill”.

Judge Toby Hooper, QC gave Burgess, who admitted one charge of dangerous driving, a six months sentence suspended for 18 months with supervision for 12 months. He will also have to attend a thinking skills programme and do 150 hours unpaid work.

He was disqualified from driving for 18 months and has to take an extended driving test to get a licence.

He has to pay £250 in costs.