A banned driver has been jailed for a 50 mph police chase through Acomb in York that lasted for "20 minutes of madness".

Jason Vincent Longhurst, 38, severely damaged a Toyota as he escaped from police vehicles that had boxed him in, Rob Galley, prosecuting, said.

He also repeatedly went through red lights at junctions with main roads, mounted the pavement forcing a pedestrian to leap out of his way, went the wrong way past Keep Left signs and made other motorists stop or move out of his way.

In the later stages of the chase, which began in Tostig Avenue, sparks flew from the nearside front wheel, whose tyre had disintegrated, and the pursuit finally ended when the exposed rim was caught in mud when Longhurst mounted a grass verge on Danebury Drive.

Parts of his route were subject to 20 mph speed limits.

Longhurst was banned from driving because he had failed to take an extended driving test at the end of a five-year driving ban for previous motoring offences and had several convictions for driving whilst disqualified.

"You call it a moment of madness. It turned into 20 minutes of madness," Judge Peter Benson told him. "It was a very dangerous and sustained period of driving for a long period in which it was fortunate no-one was killed or injured."

Longhurst, of Lindsey Avenue, Acomb, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified. He was jailed for ten months and on his release will serve an 18-month driving ban. He must also take an extended driving test before he drives alone again.

His solicitor advocate Kevin Blount said the chase had been a "moment of madness" that, once begun, he couldn't stop but he was trying to change his lifestyle.

Mr Galley said the chase began when police officers tried to stop Longhurst for some checks and he sped off into Tostig Avenue at about 6.10pm on Wednesday March 25.

He rode over speed bumps without slowing down, reached speeds of 40 mph and after he got into Beckfield Lane, he topped 50 mph in a 30 mph zone.

He overtook a line of traffic waiting at a red light before turning into Boroughbridge Road.

At one point officers were close enough to try and break the driver's window, but he evaded them by driving on the pavement round a bus.

He went through a series of red lights, broke out of a police box on Carr Lane where he hit the Toyota, giving its driver a severe shaking, and drove via Almsford Road and Woodlea Avenue onto Danebury Drive.