A driver who hit 100mph on a 30mph village road during a police pursuit has been jailed.

York Crown Court heard that Ronnie Lee Harrison twice failed to stop for police when he drove away from the pub where he had been drinking with friends.

Fen Greatley-Hirsch, prosecuting, said the 23-year-old fled officers for 15 minutes through villages in North and East Yorkshire at twice and three times the speed limit before crashing into a hedge, damaging it and his car.

He tried to flee on foot but was caught and arrested. He then refused to take a breath test.

Car mechanic Harrison, of Cross Street, Scarborough, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

He was jailed for eight months and given a 16-month driving ban. He had already served 12 months of a 17-month driving ban imposed by Scarborough magistrates in February 2023 after he pleaded guilty to failure to take a breath test at the end of the pursuit. 

He must take an extended driving test before driving alone again. 

His solicitor advocate Graham Parkin told York Crown Court that Harrison had been homeless, living in his car, and heavily in debt at the time of the police pursuit.

That night, he had gone for a drink with friends after work because “it was preferable to him lying in his car by himself staring up at the roof of the car”.

Since then he had formed a long-term relationship, got accommodation and dealt with the debt problems.

Mr Greatley-Hirsch said at 11pm on September 10, 2022, a police officer in a marked police car tried to stop Harrison’s Passat and when the car didn’t stop, alerted his colleagues.

A specialist traffic officer spotted Harrison shortly afterwards in Hunmanby on the North Yorkshire coast. Harrison turned off into a side street as soon as he saw the second police car and drove off at speed as the traffic officer signalled him to stop.

During the pursuit that followed, Harrison drove at 60mph and 70mph through small villages with 30mph speed limits and when he reached a 60mph zone he increased speed to 90mph.

As he overtook a van, both the van and a car coming the other way had to take evasive action.

He hit 100mph as he entered the 30mph zone in Carnaby near Bridlington and police lost sight of him at a roundabout. But a member of public saw Harrison crash and told officers.

Mr Parkin said Harrison’s employer depended on him as he was not qualified to do MOT tests and Harrison was. But he wouldn’t be able to hold Harrison’s job open for him if he were imprisoned.