A dead end defeated a dangerous driver who tried to outrun police - and he has been jailed as a result.
George Taylor was driving his newly insured Vauxhall Insignia in the Whitchurch area in the early hours when police spotted a quad bike, without lights, following him. When they gave chase the quad bike rider abandoned the bike and scrambled to Taylor's car.
A court heard Taylor then led officers on a dangerous, high speed pursuit before driving up a dead end. He was arrested after hiding in a supermarket car park.
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Taylor, 25, of Harbour Road in Portishead, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in March last year. He appeared for sentence at Bristol Crown Court today.
Judge Mark Horton jailed him for six months. He told Taylor: "You have urged me that you have turned your life around, such as the obtaining of employment, accommodation, and you say your life is now in gear. Everything about your record says the reverse with continued refusal to comply with orders of the court."
Taylor was banned from driving for 18 months. He was told to take an extended driving test and to pay a £128 victim surcharge.
Neil Treharne, prosecuting, described how the quad bike rider got into Taylor's car and Taylor sped off. After accelerating to some 50mph he contravened a red traffic light.
The court heard pursuing police looked on as Taylor overtook a van on a blind bend and drive at twice the speed limit through residential areas. After driving on the wrong side of the road, and the wrong way around a roundabout, he nearly lost control of his car but regained it before driving into a dead end.
The court heard the car stopped, five to six people decamped and police who concentrated on the driver arrested Taylor. It transpired the quad bike was stolen and tools including bolt croppers were in the boot of Taylor's car.
Taylor, representing himself, told the judge: "My life was a mess, I carried on and did anything." He said, however, that he had regular contact with a child, had found housing, was progressing in a job and was starting to live properly, He added: "I've literally changed my life since then."
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