A MAN who led police on a dangerous four-mile night-time chase has been jailed for 15 months.

Mitchell Webb, aged 21, of Derwent House, Hurcott Road, Kidderminster, panicked when he saw a police roadblock at Castle Road in Cookley, near Kidderminster, at 2am on May 2 this year. Charles Hardy, prosecuting, told Worcester Crown Court police had sealed off the road in an unconnected operation. But Webb was driving his partner's mother’s Renault Clio without insurance or a driving licence and he reversed into a driveway to turn around.

The police became suspicious and followed him with the siren sounding and blue light flashing as he drove at 50mph in a 30mph limit and turned on to the A449 without stopping at the junction.

He picked up speed towards Kinver and drove at 80mph in a 60mph zone, fish-tailing around the tight bends, Mr Hardy said. He went through a red light and then hit a kerb, causing the car to crash. A passenger in the car told police he had been telling Webb to stop but he had carried on.

Gurdeep Garcha, defending, said Webb had been asked by his partner’s mother to move the car for her and he panicked when he saw the police. “It was a long chase and he accepts it was a disgraceful piece of driving,” said Mr Garcha.

“He is aware people could have been hurt.” He said Webb, whose partner was now pregnant, had been trying to settle down.

Recorder Martin Jackson said Webb, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, had a bad record of previous convictions since 2009 and had breached previous court orders. “It was a matter of luck no one was killed or seriously hurt,” he said.

He banned Webb for two years and he will have to take an extended driving test. He gave no separate penalty for driving without insurance or a licence.