Middlesbrough driver reached speeds of 80mph on the A66

Carl Prior raced onto the A66 and overtook a HGV at 80mph in a 50 zone before speeding through a red light and managing to shake-off the pursuing police car.

The 40-year-old parked the car up at the property of the registered owner before heading back to his Middlesbrough home.

Teesside Crown Court heard how officers traced the vehicle before being pointed in the direction of Prior, who was known to the owner.

Peter Sabiston, prosecuting, said the police chase was short but did partially take place in residential areas of Middlesbrough town centre and he had reached speeds of 80mph.

He said: “Police saw a man acting furtively outside a property on Borough Road before getting into a BMW. He got in before making a U-turn in the road.

“The officer checked on the Police National Computer and found it was uninsured and the officers activated their blue lights to get him to stop but he didn’t.

“He accelerated aggressively onto the A66 and overtook a HGV at 80mph before coming back off the dual carriageway where he went through a red traffic light before officers lost sight of him.”

Prior, of West Lane, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance, and driving other than in accordance with a licence, following the police chase on May 2 last year.

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Tabitha Buck, mitigating, urged the judge to follow the recommendations of her client’s pre-sentence report and not send him into immediate custody.

She added: “Luckily, no damage occurred or any injuries suffered but he accepts that they could have occurred.”

Recorder Andrew Walker sentenced Prior to eight months in custody suspended for 18 months and ordered him to attend 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Prior was banned from driving for two years and told he must take an extended driving test before getting behind the wheel by himself.