Jailed: Man who swigged beer as he led police on high speed chase through Bridgnorth and the West Midlands

The 25-minute chase started in Bridgnorth and ended in Dudley when police spotted Leroy Scott behind the wheel of the Peugeot Iveco on July 4 – 17 days after it had been reported stolen, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

The 40-year-old father-of-two was swigging beer from a bottle as he drove, according to a police officer, and turned a deaf ear to their demand to stop the vehicle, said Miss Fiona Cortese, prosecuting.

Scott raced through the villages of Six Ashes and Enville at up to 75 mph, ignoring a string of red traffic lights and overtaking queues of traffic, continued the prosecutor.

Then the defendant crossed the central reservation of the road and drove the wrong way down the opposite carriageway for a short distance to foil a bid by police to block the van.

The officers made a second attempt to halt Scott in Duncan Edwards Way, Dudley, but he rammed one of the police cars, sending the van spinning into a hedge, the court heard.

The vehicle was badly damaged but he continued to drive it as fast as possible until the wrecked van finally stopped in Cinder Bank, Netherton. Scott smelled of alcohol but refused to take a breath test.

He had 21 previous convictions involving 52 separate offences, including dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, taking a vehicle without consent and driving while disqualified.

Mr Daniel White, defending, conceded: “This was a sustained period of bad driving during which he ignored the police for a considerable amount of time. It was appalling but he is a man who has had difficulties with drink and drugs.”

The defendant, who had two passengers in his car, had stopped abusing alcohol, cocaine and heroin for ten years after getting work at a warehouse but returned to his bad ways when ill health forced him to quit his role supervisor, revealed Mr White.

Scott from Severn Road, Colley Gate, Cradley, admitted dangerous driving and failing to answer to his bail.

He was jailed by Judge Barry Berlin who told him: “Six police officers were involved in this pursuit which started in Bridgnorth and ended in Dudley, reaching speeds of 75 mph. This was an utterly shocking piece of driving that put the police, other road users, your passengers and yourself at risk.”

The defendant was faces a five-year ban from driving on his release from the prison term.