A MAN who bought a car to live in after being made homeless has been given a chance to turn his life around despite crashing it after a police pursuit.

Paul Taylor was arrested after he crashed his Mitsubishi 4x4 while trying to avoid capture after he was spotted driving erratically in east Cleveland.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 40-year-old had led a troubled life with one man serving a 'significant' jail sentence for attempting to murder the father-of-three.

Emma Atkinson, prosecuting, said Taylor caught the attention of police when he was spotted driving on Apple Orchard Bank on the A174 in August this year.

When officers activated their blue lights to pull the defendant over he ignored their warning and continued to drive away.

Officers pursued the defendant as he headed towards Saltburn, with one officer capturing the journey on a body-worn camera, where he could be seen crossing the white lines and clipping the grass verge on several occasions.

Miss Atkinson said the defendant eventually lost control of the vehicle near to Saltburn's Valley Gardens when he plunged down an embankment.

She told the court that he suffered facial injuries as a result of the crash.

Taylor, now of Liverton Road, Loftus, east Cleveland, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving without a licence.

Miss Atkinson the defendant had also pleaded guilty to failing to given a sample and driving without insurance or a licence after he was caught driving again just days after his arrest.

In mitigation, John Nixon, called for his client to be given a suspended sentence after enduring a torrid time.

He said: "It seems that Mr Taylor had become homeless after living in unsatisfactory accommodation in Loftus, he was at the time, as still is, quite a vulnerable individual, who was facing a number of problems at the time.

"He had purchased this vehicle predominantly as accommodation – after ruining this vehicle he bought another one that was of scrap value to live in."

Deferring his sentence until May next year, Judge Stephen Ashurst said: "If you were stupid enough to drive in the next few months, you won't have to wait until May, you will be brought straight back here and given an immediate nine-month sentence."