A banned driver led police on a high-speed chase, much of it on only two tyres, after the other pair were deflated by a ‘stinger’ device, a court heard.

Richard Liam Rogerson came to police attention as he was at the wheel of an Audi A3 with a potentially-cloned registration plate, as he travelled over Milburngate Bridge, on the A690 in Durham, at 1.50pm on November 10.

Durham Crown Court was told that not knowing if it was a genuine vehicle or not, an officer in a patrol car began to follow the Audi eastbound on the A690.

Glenn Gatland, prosecuting, said the Audi maintained a constant 55-miles per hour speed as it joined the A1(M) at Carrville interchange, heading southbound.

Approaching the next junction, at the Bowburn interchange, the blue lights and siren of the police vehicle were deployed.

Read more: Disqualified County Durham BMW driver crashes during police chase

Rogerson headed up the slip road and accelerated, passing over the tactically-deployed ‘stinger’, which had immediate effect.

Despite deflating both nearside tyres on the Audi, Rogerson carried on towards Coxhoe at speeds of up to 60mph on 30-limit roads.

Mr Gatland said the pursuing police car also suffered a tyre burst on the ‘stinger’ and so another patrol car took up the chase approaching Coxhoe.

Rogerson continued through the centre of the village, taking a mini-roundabout in the wrong direction and, at the junction with the A177, pulled out aggressively in front of an ambulance, causing it to have to break heavily.

As the police driver attempted to “box in” the Audi, Rogerson swerved to try and avoid the manoeuvre, but he collided with the offside of an oncoming Range Rover.

Mr Gatland said two female passengers were in the Audi, from which Rogerson fled on foot, before being detained by police.

When interviewed, he gave mostly “no comment” replies, but the 37-year-old defendant, of West Street, Seaham, subsequently admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and without insurance.

The court heard that he was banned from driving for a year under the totting up procedure by Peterlee magistrates on September 1, little more than two months prior to the incident.

Mr Gatland said Rogerson also admitted possessing a bladed article, a craft knife, after he and another man were searched “under suspicious circumstances”, emerging from an area of woodland in North Road, Houghton-le-Spring, at 12.30am on Saturday September 24.

His record was said to include a further three previous offences of driving while disqualified plus several other motoring-related convictions.

Read more: Driver in County Durham police chase swerved to avoid bin wagon

Rachel Hedworth, for Rogerson, said his explanation for carrying the knife was that he had it in his pocket from earlier in the day when he had helped a friend fitting a carpet.

She said the driving matters arose as he was “in a total panic”, knowing he would be in trouble again being a banned driver.

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But she added that he was “utterly remorseful” for offending again, having managed to go offence-free for ten years up to 2017, since when he has suffered with mental health and family health issues.

Imposing a total 16-month prison sentence, Judge James Adkin said the harm in the driving matter was the risk of serious injury being caused to other road users with a vehicle being driven in the manner the Audi was, with two deflated tyres.

He added that Rogerson has, “a bad record”, for motoring offences going back 20 years and imposed a further two-year driving ban.