A BARE chested van driver was dragged out of his vehicle by armed police following a pursuit in which he nearly knocked an officer over.

Gary Wilson was chased around streets in Hartlepool teeming with pedestrians and children leaving school on a weekday afternoon.

Police were concerned at the 49-year-old’s irrational behaviour and had tried to intercept him as he drove in his Ford Transit van.

But Wilson, who was armed himself with two lock knives, failed to stop and led police on a three minute long pursuit, reaching speeds of 50mph in a 30mph zone.

Prosecutor Emma Atkinson told Teesside Crown Court: “The defendant showed no sign of slowing down or having regard to the fact that there were pedestrians in the area.”

Wilson, who admitted dangerous driving and two counts of having an article with a blade, mounted a kerb and also collided with two police vehicles during the incident on June 17 last year, causing more than £3,000 damage.

When police eventually brought him to a halt he was dragged out of the van via the driver’s window and hit with a police taser gun in order to subdue him.

Duncan Malarkey, mitigating, said Wilson’s behaviour had been caused by a change in his medication, which had now been rectified.

He said: “For some time he has had a long standing difficulty with his mental health.”

Judge Howard Crowson said the behaviour had been out of character for Wilson. He also accepted that his thinking had been distorted at the time of the incident.

He gave him a 16 month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, and said he would be disqualified from driving for a year. Wilson, who thanked the judge, will also pay £250 court costs.