Rogue Hartlepool driver reached 60 miles per hour in 30-zone during police pursuit

When a police car tried to stop Lee Hudson, 34, from Hartlepool, in a Vauxhall Astra, he took off at speed.

The officer did a U-turn when Hudson approached him from the opposite direction in his uninsured vehicle.

Hudson reached speeds of 60 miles per hour in a 30 miles per hour zone in the town’s Davison Drive.

Cars were parked on both sides of the road and pedestrians were in the area, Teesside Crown Court was told.

The chase ended after just 90 seconds when he surrendered, said prosecutor Jonathon Walker.

Hudson, who had no defence counsel, had no previous motoring convictions, which the court ruled was in his favour.

But the judge said that a child could have stepped out onto the road from between the parked vehicles during the incident on September 14 last year and that tragic consequences could have occurred.

Hudson, from Bruce Crescent, in West View, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance, driving without a valid licence and failing to stop.

He was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 180 hours unpaid work

He was also disqualified from driving for two years and until he passes an extended driving test.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough Judge Paul Watson: told him:”If you breach any of these orders you will be back here and you know what that will mean.”