Disgraced teen soldier kicked out of army and locked up over dangerous police car chases in Leeds

Nineteen-year-old Stephen Pickett was sent to a young offender institution for 18 months after a court heard how he put lives in danger during two separate incidents in Yeadon.

Pickett was already banned from driving at the time police spotted him behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Polo on December 31 last year.

Leeds Crown Court heard the teenager was pulled over by officers at 2.40am.

One of the officers approached his car to speak to him and asked for his car keys but he sped off.

Pickett drove through red lights during a two-minute pursuit and reached 60mph in a 20mph area.

The defendant was then seen driving a Ford Fiesta on February 19 this year on Victoria Road, Yeadon.

He failed to stop and drove along Queensway.

Pickett turned off his headlights and continued to drive above the speed limit and went through red lights.

He reached 70mph in a 30mph zone on Henshaw Lane.

He went through a junction on the wrong side of the road on New Lane and continued into Guiseley.

Pickett went through a junction without stopping on Nunroyd Lane

Officers used a stinger device to puncture the tyres on Pickett's car when he entered Westfield industrial estate.

The vehicle slowed before Pickett got out and jumped over the bonnet of a police car to try to escape.

He was detained at the scene.

Pickett admitted to officers that the car belonged to his girlfriend and he knew he was not insured to drive it

The court heard Pickett committed another offence of driving while disqualified when he was a serving soldier with the Royal Artillery in July last year.

A member of military personnel stopped Pickett as he drove a Saab around Larkhill military camp, in Wiltshire.

Police were contacted when Pickett admitted that he was a banned driver.

Pickett, of Albion Road, Bradford, pleaded guilty to three offences of driving while disqualified, three of driving without insurance and two of dangerous driving.

He has previous convictions for drink driving, dangerous driving , driving without a licence and having no insurance.

Anastasis Tasou, mitigating, Pickett had been expelled from the army over his criminal record.

He said: "He has gone from a highly regimented, strict, controlled life to now being still only 19 years of age living with on his own and not knowing what to do, given his teen years had been focused on getting a career in the army.

"He doesn't quite know what he is going to do with his future."

Sentencing Pickett, Judge Simon Phillips QC, said: "You have made a mess of your life in the past 12 months.

"At 19 you still have your life before you.

"I have passed a sentence that is not designed to crush the hope in you for the future.

"I hope when the sentence is served you will resume your place in society, put this offending behind you and fulfil the potential you undoubtedly have."