A 26-YEAR-OLD man with an "appalling" driving record has been spared an immediate prison sentence for crashing into a wall after a police chase.

Thomas Gilmore sped away from the police in a black Honda Civic when he was ordered to stop on March 19, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Gilmore, of Braithwaite Drive, Keighley, led two patrol vehicles on a pursuit from Haworth Road, Keighley, until he fled on foot minutes later from a small cobbled street in the town, prosecutor Jayne Beckett said.

Gilmore pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without a licence or insurance and failing to stop for the police.

Mrs Beckett said the chase took place on roads including Halifax Road, South Street, Woodhouse Road, Hainworth Wood Road and Parkwood Street, at 9.50pm.

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Gilmore had three passengers in the car. He broke the speed limit and forced other drivers to take evasive action.

He was arrested the next morning and told the police he hit the wall by accident because the car handbrake was faulty.

His solicitor advocate, Mohammed Hussain, said it was a three minute pursuit and not at breakneck speed.

Although Gilmore had "a terrible record" for driving offences he had made significant efforts to turn his life around.

He was supporting his partner through a number of health difficulties.

He did not commit any offences at all last year, which was a significant step forward against the backdrop of his previous criminal behaviour.

Gilmore had been locked up on remand since he was arrested for the offence.

Mr Hussain appealed to the court to give him the opportunity to show he intends to keep on the straight and narrow.

Judge David Hatton QC sentenced Gilmore to 15 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 220 hours of unpaid work. He was banned from driving for 12 months and must take an extended test to obtain a driving licence.

Judge Hatton told him: "You have an appalling record going back many years, for many offences, a large number of them involving motor cars and the driving of them."

Gilmore was in breach of a conditional discharge for taking a vehicle without consent.

But he was making significant efforts to turn his life around.

"You are very fortunate. If you mess it up, you have only yourself to blame," Judge Hatton told him.