An uninsured driver has been jailed after a high-speed police chase.

Dale Bates, of Leeds Road, Bradley Mills, drove up to twice the speed limit in an attempt to evade police in the early hours of the morning on December 31 last year.

The 25-year-old scraped a car before losing control and causing damage to a building, Leeds Crown Court.

Bates, who has a previous conviction for possession of class A drugs, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance.

A probation officer said: “He was getting pulled over on a regular basis by police. They believe he has links in a gang-related offence in Huddersfield.

“He said he has no idea why.

“He said police have been attending his mother’s home and she has put in a complaint.

“They have also been attending where he works.”

Anastasis Tassou, mitigating, said his client claimed he was pulled over 36 times in six days by police. He said: “On the 37th occasion he knows he is not in possession of insurance to drive the vehicle.

“That is probably why he drove in the manner that he did.

“He has lost a lot as a result of this reported harassment. He has lost his employment and his accommodation and he is bewildered as to why this is happening.”

Bates told police and his barrister that his car insurance only lasted 24 hours and needed renewing on a daily basis. He was caught driving when it was five hours out of date.

But Judge Christopher Batty said: “This is all very fishy, isn’t it?”

Sentencing him to six months’ imprisonment, of which he will have to serve half before being eligible for release, the judge said: “I have no idea why the police were following you, but you knew you needed to stop.”

The judge also disqualified him from driving for 21 months.