A MAN took a hired transit van for a “spin” in the early hours of the morning while over the drink drive limit, a court heard.

But after a police patrol officer became suspicious at the movements of the Ford Transit vehicle round residential streets of Easington Colliery, a pursuit of several miles followed, mainly down the A1086 Coast Road, to Blackhall Colliery.

It ended when driver Graham Michael Stonebank, by now heading back northwards on the Coast Road, leapt from the still moving vehicle, on a steep bank, before it collided with a lamppost.

Durham Crown Court heard that although he tried to then flee on foot, he was pursued through thick undergrowth and captured by officers on the ground, assisted from above by the police helicopter.

Stonebank gave a subsequent breath test reading showing 64mg of alcohol, compared to the legal limit for driving of 35mg.

Deborah Smithies, prosecuting, said the vehicle suffered “comparatively little damage” on impact.

It had been hired from a local garage by a man known as “Liam” just over a week earlier and the owner said only he had permission to drive it, but Stonebank said he thought that as a hire van he believed it could be driven by anyone.

Twenty-seven-year-old Stonebank, of East Street, Blackhall, was jailed for a year, after admitting aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol and without a licence, plus failing to stop for police.

The court heard that although not heavily convicted, his previous offending is mainly motoring-linked.

Miss Smithies said the incident began at about 1.30am on December 3, when an officer in a marked vehicle spotted the Transit van, with two passengerts, being driven suspiciously round residential streets in Easington Colliery.

When its blue flashing lights were ignored by Stonebank, the officer summoned assistance from other police drivers.

Miss Smithies added that before abandoning the Transit, Stonebank, reached 70-miles per hour on roads with 30 and 40mph-limits.

Martin Scarborough, mitigating, told the court: “The saving grace was that it was that it was 1.30 in the morning, and so there was not that much traffic on the roads.

“But, he has to accept how irresponsible and stupid he was in driving off from police.”

Jailing him, Judge Christopher Prince said Stonebank potentially risked other road users’ lives by the manner of his driving.

He also banned Stonebank from driving for three years.