A JUDGE stuck by his pledge to impose custodial sentences on motorists ignoring police requests to stop.

Despite pleas for defendant Daniel Franklin to retain his liberty for one of two drug-driving incidents in 11 days last summer, Judge Christopher Prince imposed a custodial sentence at Durham Crown Court.

The 20-year-old student, of South End, High Pittington, near Durham, admitted dangerous driving, driving while unfit through drugs, and driving without insurance, stemming from a nine-mile police chase in a friend’s Mercedes 220 Sport in July last year.

Rachel Landin, prosecuting, said the dangerous high speed pursuit, from Gilesgate, Durham, passed through Sherburn Village, Cassop, Quarrington Hill, and several country roads in between.

Having reached speeds of more than 80mph on 30mph roads, he sometimes slowed on country lanes to prevent the police overtaking.

He abandoned the still-moving Mercedes in a dead end in Trimdon Village and was found hiding in a field several minutes later following a chase on foot

Miss Landin said 11 days later he was caught driving another friend’s Audi, in Carrville, Durham, and, as in the earlier pursuit, was uninsured and under the influence of cocaine.

Liam O’Brien, mitigating, said, following a “Damascene moment” after the second incident, Franklin gave up drugs and found a place on a mechanical engineering course at Sunderland University.

Despite Mr O’Brien’s pleas for the inevitable custodial sentence to be suspended, Judge Prince imposed a ten-month sentence in a young offenders’ institution.

He said the message must go out to any driver challenged by police on the roads of County Durham, “stop or go to prison”.

“You didn’t stop, you will receive a custodial sentence.”

Franklin was also banned from driving for 29 months.