A drug-driver who led police on a 22 mile chase reaching speeds of more than 100mph has been jailed.

Zamshed Miah was sentenced at Preston's Sessions House on Wednesday, after pleading guilty at an early hearing to one count of dangerous driving, one count of driving while disqualified and one count of driving while under the influence of excess cannabis.

The court heard how Miah, 41, who was already serving a driving ban and has a colourful criminal record consisting of multiple previous driving offences, had been spotted by police driving 'bizarrely' close to junction 10 of the M65 motorway on January 3 last year.

Prosecuting, Rachel Woods said: "On January 3 2020, PC Ingham noticed a suspect Renault Laguna pulling out of side street before it started being driven rather bizarrely.

"Pc Ingham decided to try and stop the vehicle and as it approached the junction 10 entry slip road of the M65, instead of stopping it took a sharp left and entered the motorway, accelerating away from the police car and reaching speeds of 100mph.

"It left the motorway at junction eight and continued onto the A56 southbound at around 80mph before taking a left turn along Accrington Road back towards Burnley, this time continuing at 70mph despite the speed limit dropping to 30mph.

"It was lucky there was no other cars or pedestrians around at the time."

Lancashire Telegraph: Zamshed Miah has been jailed for 10 months Zamshed Miah has been jailed for 10 months

Miss Woods continued, telling the court that the driver, Miah, accelerated once more, reaching speeds of more than 105mph, which is when officers, who suspected the driver was under the influence, called for back up and were joined by two other police vehicles.

The pursuit continued and police made two attempts to stop the vehicle; the first with a stinger, the second by using a 'boxed-in method'.

She added: "The officers tried to box the vehicle but the defendant slammed on the brakes to such an extent that the officer behind had to take evasive action to prevent a crash."

When the Laguna was eventually stopped, police pulled Miah from the car through the window before arresting him.

The court heard how officers detected a strong smell of cannabis emanating from Miah and a blood test and drugs swipe taken at the station proved positive for cannabis.

Miss Woods said: "The pursuit lasted 22.4miles of which most was along a motorway."

Miah pleaded guilty to the offences at the first opportunity, but in his defence, Richard Prew mitigated for a suspended sentence along with a community order, stating that his client had always complied with previous orders handed out by the courts.

Judge David Potter said: "These offences were aggravated substantially by the fact you were disqualified from driving and you were under the influence of drugs, protracted by the fact you drove over many miles being pursued by the police.

"While community orders have been completed in the past, this has not stopped you from reoffending, therefore only a custodial sentence can be imposed."

Miah, of Wood Clough Platts in Brierfield, was given a 10 month jail sentence and disqualified from driving for two years and five months.