During the 20-minute incident eight police cars and the force helicopter were involved in the pursuit which only ended after a stinger device was used.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Adam Mark Trainor, 20, of Northgate, Hartlepool, almost hit another vehicle while speeding through a red light at the Hart Lane and Raby Road crossroads.

The Mail has exclusive video footage of the pursuit that shows how police set up a stinger device at the junction of the A689 and Truro Drive.

But despite the device blowing out his tyres and causing sparks to fly from his wheels, he was only stopped when he was surround by police vehicles which forced him to come to a halt.

Sharon Elves, prosecuting, told the court Trainor was spotted by a police officer in Catcote Road before he was ordered to stop on January 19.

Trainor pulled over in his Vauxhall Corsa, but when the officer walked to the vehicle he accelerated away.

The officer gave chase and followed Trainor into Elwick Road, but could only watch watched as he drove directly towards a police officer stood next to a marked police car, before swerving away at the last minute.

The vehicle then sped off at between 50mph and 60mph on to Stockton Street, Victoria Road and on to Raby Road before going through a red light at the trafic lights at the Hart Lane junction, almost hitting another vehicle.

Trainor then went along Jesmond Gardens at speeds of 50mph to 60mph, went through a third red light, and narrowly missed a man crossing the road.

The vehicle went though another red light as it went on to the A689 and police set up a stinger device at the A689 junction with Truro Drive.
But despite the device blowing out the tyres, the vehicle still did not stop.

When he was breathalysed Trainor was found to have 78 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35.

Trainor admitted dangerous driving, drink driving and driving without insurance. He also admitted to an unrelated wounding offence from Christmas Eve last year which happened in east Cleveland.

The offences happened while Trainor was serving a 12-month community order for taking a veihicle without consent and criminal damage in September last year.

Robin Denny, mitigating, said the driving offences came about after Trainor panicked and he admitted the assault on the basis that it was self-defence that went too far.

Judge Peter Bowers described Trainor's driving as "frightening" and said any of the police officers involved could have been seriously injured.

Judge Bowers deferred sentence for six months and banned him from driving for two years.

He added: "You were quite determined not to stop and the problem for me is you were on a community order, which appears to have been disregarded."