A FAULTY light on an executive-type car sparked a police pursuit which ended nine miles later with the vehicle crashing off a country road, a court was told.

The driver of the damaged Saab 9-3, Kenneth Flint, who was almost double the drink-drive limit and appeared to have taken some cocaine, is now starting an eight-month prison sentence.

Durham Crown Court heard that Flint was driving south on the A19, near Peterlee, when a traffic patrol officer, travelling a short distance behind, noticed what appeared to be a problem with a light on the Saab, at about 9.15pm on Saturday January 28.

Paul Abrahams, prosecuting, said Flint increased his speed to almost 100-miles per hour and so the patrol officer illuminated her vehicle’s flashing blue lights and sound the siren as she gave chase.

Flint left the A19 via the Castle Eden/Wellfield exit and then headed westwards on the A181 past Wingate, at 90-mph on a 60-limit road.

“No other vehicle was put directly at risk at that stage, as, although the road surface was wet, the traffic flow was relatively light.”

Mr Abrahams said the Saab turned onto the B1278 and headed to Trimdon Station, where he drove at 60-mph on 30-limit roads in residential areas, with cars parked along both sides of streets.

One oncoming vehicle had to take evasive action to avoid a collision, before Flint left the village, at between 60 and 70-mph, on a rural road.

It was half-a-mile out of Trimdon Station that the Saab left the road on the passenger’s side and crashed on the verge, where he was detained by police.

He was found with a wrap of cocaine in his possession and appeared to have already taken another, while he provided a breath specimen which gave a reading of 69-microgrammes of alcohol, compared to the legal driving limit of 35 for driving.

Although he made no comment when interviewed, appearing at a plea hearing at the crown court, 28-year-old Flint, of Middle Street, Blackhall Colliery, admitted dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol and possession of a class A drug.

Ian West, mitigating, said, “mercifully”, despite the speeds reached during the pursuit, no-one was injured and the only damage was to the defendant’s car.

Mr West added that Flint has kept out of trouble in recent times and has a good job, as a cable puller for a telecommunications company.

But, Judge Deborah Sherwin said, given the speeds reached and the dangerous manner of driving, she could not avoid passing an immediate prison sentence, albeit reducing the 12-month term by a third for the defendant’s prompt ‘guilty’ pleas.

Flint was also banned from driving for 16 months.