A banned driver was involved in a late-night police chase only ten days after receiving his disqualification at court following a previous motoring offence.

Former bus driver Michael Mayaka was at the wheel of a red Volkswagen Golf spotted by officers in a passing police vehicle at 12.40am on Monday May 29 this year.

Durham Crown Court heard that a check with the national police computer showed the Golf was not insured and the registration was to a different address.

The police vehicle began to follow the Golf which was travelling along the B6299 between Stanley Crook and Willington, before turning left into the High Street, in Willington.

Read more: Banned driver went wrong way on A19 in County Durham in police chase

Christopher Bevan, prosecuting, said after making a further left turn the pursuing police vehicle’s blue lights and siren were activated, indicating to the Golf driver to stop.

But the warning was ignored and the driver took the first exit back onto the High Street, going through red lights, increasing speed to 60-miles per hour on a 30-limit road through Willington.

Mr Bevan said at one stage Mayaka lost control on an S-bend, shooting across the road, then cut a corner and turned right onto Stony Bank.

The Golf was followed as it passed through Binchester at 45mph in a 30-zone, turning left onto the A688 where police laid a stinger tyre-deflating device ahead on the road.

But Mayaka took the first exit off the A688 to avoid it, heading into Middlestone Moor, where a police vehicle was able to drive in front of the Golf to bring it to a stop.

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Mayaka, was challenged and detained, as was his passenger, said to be a man sought by police for failing to attend court in Scotland.

Mr Bevan said 31-year-old Mayaka had a previous conviction for dangerous driving at court in Hamilton, in Scotland, for which he received a one-year disqualification from the roads, only ten days before the County Durham incident.

Read more: Chester-le-Street banned driver risked activating suspended sentence

Mayaka, of Third Street, Horden, admitted dangerous driving and driving while disqualified and without insurance, at the magistrates' court on June 25.

But he failed to appear at his scheduled sentencing hearing at the crown court on both July 24 and then on August 17, for which he was subject of bench warrants.

Mr Bevan said Mayaka was arrested in London on the warrant and went before Isleworth Crown Court last Friday, where he received a one-week prison sentence for the offences of failing to attend court.

He appeared for his sentencing hearing yesterday (Wednesday, August 30) via video link from Wormwood Scrubs Prison in London.

His counsel, Erin Kitson-Parker, conceded she may have, “a bit of an uphill struggle”, but said she would be advancing that a suspended sentence could be imposed in her client’s case.

She said he has “quite severe Asperger's” and, while on remand since his arrest, “has struggled to integrate into a custodial environment, finding it a short, sharp shock”.

Miss Kitson-Parker said the defendant has had a difficult background, but has an education, having attended college, and has continued to work, for more than two years as a bus driver, but is aware that due to his driving disqualifications will struggle to find such employment in future.

Judge Jo Kidd said in circumstances where the defendant has committed a driving offence only ten days after being disqualified, she was unable to pass anything other than an immediate prison sentence.

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She said despite the time of the offence, there was, “an obvious risk” presented to anyone who may have been on the road due to the defendant’s manner of driving when instructed to stop.

Judge Kidd imposed an eight-month immediate prison sentence and extended Mayaka’s driving disqualification to 28 months.

He must also sit an extended re-test to ever be eligible to drive legally in future in this country.