A runaway motorist was dragged by police through the window of the car he was driving after he had been chased for miles in the Chelmsford area.

Police thought former barrister's clerk Lee Evans would use his mobile phone as a weapon and a court also heard how officers used CS gas on Evans as well as dragging him through the car window.

Evans, 30, was jailed for a year after he admitted taking the car, driving while banned and failing to give a breath test.

He was also banned from driving for three years and told to take an extended driving test.

"Your driving had the potential to do serious damage, injury or even death" Judge John Devaux told Evans.

"You had been drinking for much of the day. It was a prolonged piece of driving and the court takes a serious view of it," the judge added.

Samantha Leigh, prosecuting, told Chelmsford Crown Court Evans had been drinking with his girlfriend on June 16 this year when, about midnight, his girlfriend told police he had taken her car.

Police saw him in her Rover at his home in Hatfield Grove, Chelmsford, but before they could speak to him, he drove off.

They followed him for up to ten miles around Chelmsford, along the A130 through Chelmer Valley, Main Road, Broomfield and towards Little Waltham.

His speed reached 70mph in 30mph and 40mph areas and he drove on the wrong side of the road, ignored red lights and went the wrong way around a roundabout.

When the chase ended, Evans refused to take a breath test, the court heard.

James Ageros, mitigating, said the offence happened during the lowest point of Evans' life. He had been abusing alcohol and drugs and was under a lot of stress with difficulties in his personal relationship. "He was mixed up, vulnerable and confused and accepts this was a bad piece of driving," Mr Ageros said.

Published Tuesday October 15, 2002

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