Dangerous driver jailed after seven-mile Black Country police chase

When the 25-year-old old heard his brother had been beaten up he went to see him in his partner's eight-year-old VW Jetta, a judge was told.

Unfortunately he was banned from driving and was spotted by police driving too fast near the Birchley Island in Oldbury, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

The officers activated the lights and siren on their marked patrol car but Lewis ignored the request to stop and led them on a seven-mile chase through the Black Country at more than twice the speed limit, revealed Mr Trevor Jones, prosecuting.

The Jetta reached 77mph in a 30mph limit and went through a set of red traffic lights at the junction of Bromford Road and Fountain Lane.

Lewis drove on the wrong side of the road and forced other drivers to take evasive action during the pursuit at around 9pm on October 25 last year, before abandoning the car in Salop Road, Oldbury, and disappearing into a house.

He gave himself up to police soon afterwards.

Miss Blondelle Thompson, defending, said he had responded to a call of help from his brother but knew he acted stupidly.

Lewis from Bells Lane, Wordsley, Stourbridge, who had 14 previous convictions involving 26 offences and was on licence after being freed from a prison sentence for wounding, admitted dangerous driving, having no insurance and driving while disqualified.

He was jailed by Judge James Burbidge QC who said: "There was no good reason for you to drive when disqualified even if your brother had been assaulted - although what help you could give him I do not know.

"You made a determined effort to get away from the police but mercifully did not cause any accident or injury. A probation report regards you as representing a high risk of causing serious harm to others."

Lewis was also banned from driving for two years and two months.