A banned driver has been jailed after leading police on a chase while still on licence from a previous prison term for the same offence.

Leeds Crown Court heard Luke Craven was seen driving a Vauxhall Corsa through a red light at the junction of White Lee Road and Common Road in Batley on the evening of August 5.

Officers began to follow and indicated to him to stop and initially he did but then set off again as the police car got closer.

James Gelsthorpe, prosecuting, said Craven reached in excess of 60mph in Healey Road before turning on to various side streets. In Linton Avenue he clipped the kerb and partly mounted the pavement.

He was still doing over 50mph before the junction of Malham Drive and Hayburn Road where he turned right without giving way. He drove a short distance before turning into Aysgarth Road and in Arncliffe Road went through a further give way accelerating on the wrong side of the road before turning into Mayman Lane.

He was still driving over the 30mph limit when he turned into Wellington Street where he overtook an ice cream van on a bend with no view of oncoming traffic.

Video Loading

Mr Gelsthorpe said Craven clipped the kerb and went into a skid as he turned into East Street but managed to regain control. In Turner Avenue he was held up by two stationery vehicles and got past them by driving on to the pavement and grass verge.

The officers behind had to slow to make the same manoeuvre and briefly lost sight of him. When they caught up again they found he had collided with another stationery vehicle.

Craven jumped out and tried to escape but was chased and arrested. He was then found to have a small amount of cocaine on him for personal use.

The court heard in March last year he received a short prison sentence for dangerous driving and related offences and in January this year received eight months in prison for dangerous driving and driving while disqualified for which he was on licence.

Imran Khan, representing Craven, said the car belonged to someone else and he realised he had been foolish. He had driven off because he panicked knowing he was disqualified.

Craven, 23 of Howley Walk, Batley, admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, without insurance and possessing cocaine.

He was jailed for 16 months.

Disqualifying him from from driving for two years and four months, Judge James Spencer QC said: “This was all because you can’t resist driving when you know you shouldn’t.”