A DRINK-DRIVER led police on a late-night chase with no lights on before crashing into a wall, a court heard.

Rhys Thomas Newton reached speeds of up to 58mph in a 30mph residential area and veered onto the wrong side of the road while attempting to flee from police officers on Sunday, April 5.

Officers were alerted to reports of a silver Citroen Saxo driving erratically in Evenwood, near Bishop Auckland, at 11.15pm and on arriving in the village saw the car at the junction of Shelly Close with no lights on.

The driver, Newton, was not wearing a seat belt and accelerated away when the police car turned on its blue lights.

Rachael Dodsworth, prosecuting at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court yesterday (Thursday, May 14), described how the 24-year-old, of Shelly Close, Evenwood, hit speeds just short of 60mph while driving through the village, before heading on the A688 towards Barnard Castle accelerating to 80mph.

He then turned onto a rural lane and collided with a wall.

A breath test revealed 86 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than twice the legal limit.

Newton pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, drink-driving, driving without a licence or insurance and failing to stop.

Nick Woodhouse, mitigating, said Newton had struggled at school but had secured qualifications and hoped to get a job as a production operator.

He said Newton had made a split second decision to flee police as he was scared of being caught drink-driving, adding: “He didn’t think through his actions properly.”

Newton was sentenced to 20 weeks in custody suspended for 24 months, 20 rehabilitation days and 200 hours unpaid work.

He was banned from driving for 24 months and ordered to pay a total of £275 in fines and court charges.