'Utter contempt for road users': Unlicensed Leeds driver reached 100mph and tried to ram police car before crashing into fence

Liam Town drove at 100mph on a motorway, tried to ram a police car before and crashed into a fence during the incident in Leeds.

Town failed to stop for police officers who saw him driving his girlfriend's car on the M62 at Lofthouse.

The 30-year-old sped off and reached over 100mph as he weaved across different lanes of the carriageway in and out of traffic.

Andrew Stranex, prosecuting, said the officers tried to block his exit from the motorway to avoid him entering residential areas.

He drove at one police vehicle and the officer had to back off to avoid a collision.

Town left the motorway and drove onto the A63 Selby Road.

He drove at 76mph in a 40mph area.

Town drove the wrong way around a roundabout and reached 80mph on Whitkirk Lane.

The defendant crashed into a fence on Back Poplar Avenue and ran from the vehicle.

He managed to escape from police officers but lost a trainer as he climbed over a fence during the foot chase.

He was identified as the suspect from DNA evidence from the footwear.

Town, of Carrholm Road, Chapel Allerton, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, having no insurance and no licence.

He has 32 previous convictions for offences dating back to the age of 13.

Anastasis Tassou, mitigating, said Town had made a foolish decision to drive his partner's car to see his brother in Doncaster and panicked when he saw the police.

Town was jailed for 12 months and was banned from driving for three and a half years.

Sentencing, Judge Robin Mairs said: "It was persistent and it was deliberate and it was driving with utter contempt for any road users.

"You were quite prepared to run the risk of catastrophic damage to other people's lives so you could escape.

"That was a conscious decision taken by you on that evening.

"You were quite prepared to run the risk of decimating other people's lives so you could escape from the police."