An Audi driver repeatedly rammed another car containing a small child in a case of mistaken identity, York Crown Court heard.

The victim, a food courier, was driving through the city with friends when he found himself being pursued at high speed through York by Daniel James Dexter Brown, 33.

The cars, both Audis, went through red lights, mounted the pavement and the victim drove erratically as he tried to escape during the evening of February 10 last year, said Jade Edwards, prosecuting.

“This defendant deliberately collided with (the other) vehicle several times and once to the side where the two year old child was sitting,” she said.

When Brown finally boxed the other Audi in after both had driven on the pavement in St Leonard’s Place in central York, its front seat passenger leapt out and fled on foot.

Brown banged on the driver’s door window and tried to punch the other man.

When he saw the child in the back, he stopped and left, said Ms Edwards.

The victim drove straight to Fulford Road Police Station for help, said Ms Edwards.

He had been delivering food before picking up up his pregnant girlfriend, the child and another man.

Brown, of an address off Main Street, Heslington, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and having an offensive weapon.

He was jailed for 10 months, banned from driving for two years and five months and ordered him to take an extended driving test before driving again.

Judge Simon Hickey said pedestrians on the busy area around St Leonard's Place and Gillygate had been frightened by the driving of Brown and the innocent food courier.

Defence barrister John Batchelor said it was a case of mistaken identity.

Brown had himself been assaulted earlier in the evening and had believed the driver he had rammed was the person who had attacked him.

“When he realised there was a child in the car (he realised) he had made a terrible mistake,” said Mr Batchelor.

Since the car chase, he himself had been assaulted and didn’t know if it was related to what happened on February 10.

Brown’s family would have problems if he was jailed, said the defence barrister.

He was a hard worker in the family farming business and had family responsibilities.

Ms Edwards said at 6.55pm that evening police were alerted to a street fight between people with weapons in central York.

When they arrived at the scene, none of the suspected fighters had co-operated with officers.

The police saw an agitated Brown drive off with a metal wrench in his car.

Ten minutes later, he had returned and deliberately parked his Audi close to the victim's Audi. which was in the area. Brown approached the food courier with a metal pole and the victim drove off.

The courier picked up his girlfriend and the child.

They were driving along Burdyke Avenue, Clifton, when Brown rammed him from behind and the pursuit began.