A DANGEROUS driver who was previously jailed for motoring offences led police on a high-speed chase through a town before skidding off the road and crashing.

Armed response officers were on patrol on the A167 near Aycliffe Village when they saw Michael Maloney driving a Volkswagen Golf on the wrong side of the road.

They signalled him to pull over but he failed to stop and the officers pursued him through Aycliffe Business Park and Newton Aycliffe, just before 3am on Saturday, August 26.

Magistrates, sitting at Newton Aycliffe heard that the 29-year-old drove on Durham Way, Redworth Way and Horndale Avenue reaching more than 70mph before heading down Northfield Way at more than 90mph. All the roads are subject to a 30mph limit, said prosecutor Ember Wong.

She said: “They continued to chase the vehicle until it reached the junction with St Cuthbert’s Way, it failed to turn left at the junction and skidded across the carriageway, travelled up the grass verge and crashed. The driver then alighted, made off through the bushes and attempted to climb away to evade officers.”

Police managed to stop Maloney, of North End, Osmotherley, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and failing to stop. He also admitted driving after consuming excess alcohol. A test revealed he had 40mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the limit is 35.

Paul Crocker, mitigating, said Maloney was suffering a mental health episode at the time which made him ‘careless of the consequences’ of getting into a vehicle and that he panicked when spotted by police.

Mrs Wong said Maloney had 13 previous convictions for 27 offences, including motoring offences. In April 2010 he got a nine month custodial sentence and two year ban for dangerous driving and was convicted of driving offences in 2012, 13 and 15.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction and sent the case to Durham Crown Court for sentencing on October 6. Maloney was granted unconditional bail until then.