A banned driver led police on a dangerous high-speed chase through the streets of Sunderland while "test driving" a Saab he'd bought.
James Hart was unemployed and disqualified from driving when he decided to purchase a vehicle and fix it up in order to keep himself busy while out of work. But the 29-year-old got behind the wheel of the silver Saab on March 1, last year, and illegally took it out for a test drive. When patrolling police officers attempted to pull him over, he instead took off and led them on a chase where he hit speeds of up to 70mph in residential areas.
Hart, of High Street West, Sunderland, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday to be sentenced for dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, and driving without insurance. He pleaded guilty to the charges at a previous hearing.
