A1M Darlington danger driver went wrong way up motorway in 4×4

Aaron Drummond took police on a high-speed chase on the outskirts of Darlington when they tried to pull him over in a BMW they believed was stolen, before he abandoned the car and legged it. On another occasion, he drove the wrong way down the A1(M) in a 4x4 with his lights off before crashing into a car on February 14. The 27-year-old then managed to escape from custody after requiring medical treatment but was arrested again nine hours later, hiding out at his partner's Darlington home, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Caoimhe Bicknell, prosecuting, said the first incident of dangerous driving happened on January 29 when police tried to pull over the BMW. She said: "The car accelerated and went through red lights at 59mph in a 30mph zone. It narrowly missed a crossing pedestrian and overtook several vehicles on the wrong side of the road before reaching speeds of 65mph."

She said the BMW travelled along the A66 in the wrong direction, narrowly avoiding two HGVs. Drummond then travelled the wrong way along the A1(M) before turning the lights off after collided with a car, leaving the occupants badly shaken. Miss Bicknell said police were forced to carry out a tactical stop to prevent him fleeing the scene.

Drummond was also charged with escaping lawful custody and criminal damage to a pair of handcuffs. She said the defendant ran away when he was discharged from hospital while receiving treatment after he was arrested in February this year. Drummond, formerly of Darlington, pleaded guilty to two charges of dangerous driving, two charges of driving whilst disqualified, escaping custody and criminal damage.

Michael Cahill, mitigating, said his client realises that he is getting older now and knows that he needs to stay out of trouble. He said: "He is finding the process of being incarcerated more difficult and one has to hope that the maturity factor will kick in." Judge Richard Clews jailed Drummond for a total of 26 months and banned him from driving for four years and one month.

He said: "You are now 27 and have a long and frankly bad record, particularly for offending of this kind.

"There are many convictions relating to motor vehicles, and you do have a previous dangerous driving and many convictions for driving while disqualified - that suggests you ignore the rules of the road and believe they don't apply to you."