A road menace who sparked a police chase less than three weeks after being banned for dangerous driving has been jailed.
Billy Galbraith was given a community order and a 20 month driving ban on December 20 last year.
But on January 9 he was spotted by police behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Zafira and drove off at speed in 20mph zones to try to get away.
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He eventually abandoned the car while it was still moving, hiding under a parked car as the Vauxhall careered out of control into a fence.
A member of the public pointed out where he was to police and he was arrested.
Now the 29-year-old, who claimed he only drove to buy an electricity card for his covid-stricken mother, has been jailed at Newcastle Crown Court.
Recorder Shakil Najib told him: "The public must be protected from you and you must be punished.
"This was a serious offence committed only weeks after the previous offence and you showed a total disregard for the first sentence by not only driving but driving dangerously, no less."
The judge added that he had put lives at risk and said it was "sheer luck no one was seriously injured."
It was around 10pm on January 9 that police saw Galbraith in the car in Denton, Newcastle.
He drove at around 50mph in a 20mph zone, went through a red light and turned his lights off in an effort to get away.
Omar Ahmad, prosecuting, said: "The vehicle was seen travelling slowly, out of control, with the driver's door open and the vehicle was veering off and mounting the pavement.
"The defendant had abandoned the vehicle while it was still moving.
"It travelled 25 to 30 metres without anyone in it before crashing into a fence, narrowly missing parked cars."
Galbraith, of Ainslie Place, Blakelaw, who has 17 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualfied, having no insurance and failing to stop.
He was jailed for eight months and banned from driving for 28 months.
Chris Knox, defending, said: "He realises what a foolish exercise this was.
"His mother was ill with coronavirus and he went to get her an electricity card and found himself being followed and the rest is history.
"Foolish and stupid as this is, there was limited damage."
Mr Knox added that Galbraith was remorseful, has missed his children since being remanded in custody and had worked hard on a Northumberland estate.
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