A BANNED driver who took police on a high-speed chase has been warned that his behaviour will eventually kill someone.

Matthew Clark was spotted travelling along the A66 towards Darlington when police attempted to pull him over but instead of stopping he accelerated away from the officers in the blue Mercedes he was driving.

The 30-year-old’s dangerous driving came to a shuddering halt when he smashed into a fence in the town centre before trying to leg it away from police, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Clark, a father-of-one, was eventually arrested hiding in some bushes near a riverbank after a police dog managed to successfully track him down.

Recorder Andrew Smith MBE told Clark that his driving was putting his own life at risk as well as innocent people going about their daily business.

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Sentencing him to 16 months in custody, he said: "I am considering the effect on your son, when he is told one day that his father has been killed in an accident because those are the stakes you play for when you drive in this fashion.

"I have got genuine sympathy for him but I also have genuine sympathy for all the other people who were going about their business – it just takes one further error of bad judgement on your part and there is a head on collision, and the police are called out to cut people out of motor vehicles, that is why this is a serious offence.

"If you carry on driving like this either you will be killed or seriously injured or you will be responsible for doing that to another family person, who may have children the same age as your son."

The Northern Echo: The aftermath of the crashThe aftermath of the crash

Adam Keenaghan, prosecuting, told the court how Clark reached speeds in excess of 70mph, drove through red lights and forced other motorists to take evasive action as he desperately attempted to escape police.

The court heard how Clark had been convicted of dangerous driving on several occasions and was serving a three year ban when he was arrested on November 3 and crashing into railings in Darlington town centre.

The Northern Echo: Matthew ClarkMatthew Clark

Clark, of Sutcliffe Court, Darlington, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance.

Andrew Turton, in mitigation, said his client had been affected by the suicide of a friend just days before his arrest.

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