A MOTORIST with previous convictions for dangerous driving put lives at risk as he tried to dodge police during a late night chase on village streets, a court heard.

James Ronson was jailed for 16 months for what a judge described as “about as bad a case of dangerous driving you could have taken part in, on those roads and in those conditions.”

Durham Crown Court heard that a police patrol vehicle, with sirens and blue lights activated, was involved in the ten-minute high-speed pursuit with a Vauxhall Corsa with Ronson at the wheel.

It began on rural roads in cold and damp conditions but ended with Ronson erratically driving in “loops” around streets on a residential estate in Bowburn, near Durham - before abandoning his car and fleeing on foot, late on Monday December 5.

Lewis Kerr, prosecuting, said the Corsa first came to the attention of the two officers in the police vehicle as it appeared to “power slide” off the Byers Garth roundabout onto the A688 at about 11.30pm.

The officers took up the chase during which Ronson reached speeds of 90 miles per hour on 60 limit single track road and, on reaching Bowburn, he sped at more than 60mph through residential areas - cutting corners, making late turns and at times lost control, momentarily swerving from side-to-side.

When he abandoned the Corsa at the junction of Philip Avenue and Horton Crescent, he tried to run off, but was caught by an officer as he attempted to clamber over a fence,and was only detained following a struggle.

A woman, who told police she was picked up by the defendant, half-an-hour earlier, was found in the passenger seat of the abandoned car.

Ronson, 39, formerly of Horton Crescent, Bowburn, admitted dangerous driving and failing to stop for police.

The court heard he has two previous convictions for dangerous driving, plus one for careless driving.

Martin Scarborough, for Ronson, said the defendant accepts he is facing an “inevitable” prison sentence and the only mitigating features were his early guilty pleas.

Jailing him, Judge Christopher Prince told Ronson: “I don’t know if you read the local papers, but this court has consistently sought to deter persons from engaging in police pursuits in County Durham by repeating a very small five word mantra, ‘stop, or go to prison’.

“You didn’t stop and, so, you will be going to prison.

“You drove extremely dangerously and you could have seriously injured, or killed, yourself, people in other vehicles or any pedestrians who might have been in the vicinity at the time.

“As it was, no-one was actually hurt, but that was a case of good luck as opposed to any design by you.”

Judge Prince also banned Ronson from driving for 20 months and ordered confiscation of the Corsa car used in the chase.