A YOUNG unlicensed and uninsured motorist is behind bars for the first time after “panicking” at the wheel when police signalled for him to stop.

Durham Crown Court heard that Ryan Westgarth was driving a Ford Focus he bought for £80 only two days earlier, with a pregnant woman as his front seat passenger, on Friday, May 6.

Lewis Kerr, prosecuting, said two officers were on traffic patrol in north-west Durham, when they received a report of a “fail to stop” involving the Focus, in the Consett area, at 1pm.

They came across the car in Burnhope, at 1.20pm, travelling at 40-miles per hour in a 30-limit street, with speed humps.

Westgarth ignored the blue lights of the police vehicle and reached speeds up to 70-mph on a 60-limit road, heading in the direction of Maiden Law.

Mr Kerr told the court: “The vehicle’s driving became frantic, swerving across the road and using the indicator, suggesting the police vehicle should pull over, not him.”

The court heard that at one stage the Focus suddenly stopped almost causing the police vehicle to crash into it, while, later in the pursuit, Westgarth turned and drove towards the patrol car, only swerving at the last second to prevent a collision.

Police eventually found the Focus abandoned after it crashed into a a wall in Nightingale Place, South Moor, Stanley.

Mr Kerr said throughout the journey the defendant’s girlfriend, who was pregnant, was frantically waving and signalling for him to stop.

She later told police she did not want to be in the car and feared for her safety.

Westgarth was arrested and a test revealed 1.8kg of cannabis in his blood, compared to the limit for driving of 2kg.

He said he had taken cannabis the previous night, but not that day.

Mr Kerr said the defendant told police he bought the car only two days earlier and had no insurance or licence, but accepted he, “simply panicked”.

Westgarth, 20, of Standerton Terrace, Stanley, admitted dangerous driving and no insurance.

Angus Taylor, mitigating, said the offence was out of character as he only has one previous caution, for an unrelated matter, with no convictions.

Imposing an eight month sentence in a young offenders’ institution, Judge Simon Hickey said the offence was too serious to avoid custody. He also banned Westgarth from driving for 22 months.