Dangerous driver Kurt Dixon led police on a chase through a housing estate before crashing into another car.

The 23-year-old sped off as he was being spoken to by a police officer and hit speeds of 50mph on 30mph roads in Sneyd Green.

But he crashed into another vehicle as he tried to give pursuing officers the slip.

Now Dixon has been jailed for 12 months which will run consecutively to a 22-week sentence he received last month.

Prosecutor Hunter Gray told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court police saw the defendant driving a Vauxhall Corsa at 11.35am on October 25 last year and decided to stop the car as Dixon was sitting low in the driver’s seat, the vehicle was not local and the passenger was not wearing a seatbelt.

Mr Gray said: “The officer began to speak to the defendant through the driver’s window. However, while speaking to him, the defendant started the engine. The passenger door was still open. The defendant released the handbrake and drove away. The police got in their vehicle and pursued the car.

“The Corsa turned on the A53 and on to Mornington Road. It has a 30mph limit but he was travelling at 45mph.”

The court heard that on other roads on the estate his speed increased to 50mph before he crashed into another car.

The defendant was arrested at the scene.

In his police interview, Dixon said he had owned the car for a week but accepted he did not have a licence or insurance. He said he panicked because he had been living in the car and he feared the police would take the vehicle off him.

The court heard the defendant was jailed for 22 weeks in October for driving while disqualified, taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, driving without insurance and possession of an offensive weapon.

Dixon, of Boughey Road, Shelton, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, failing to stop when required by an officer, and failing to surrender to bail.

Paul Cliff, mitigating, conceded it was ‘bad driving’ but said it was not the worst the court had seen.

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He said the defendant has the offer of a job as a painter and decorator and added: “He is still young enough to turn his life around.”

Judge David Fletcher disqualified Dixon from driving for two-and-a-half years and until he passes an extended test.

He told the defendant: “At the age of 23 you have amassed an unenviable criminal record.

“You decided to drive away from the police who were questioning you. You drove dangerously through the Sneyd Green estate. You drove at 20mph above the maximum speed limit over speed bumps, causing at least two drivers to have to avoid inevitable collisions. At the end of the bad driving you crashed into another vehicle approaching on the correct side of the road.”
