A BANNED Audi driver who smashed into a wall, snapped a telegraph pole and brought down power lines in a high-speed crash has been jailed.

Jacob Rushworth, 26, was uninsured and disqualified from driving, when police officers on mobile patrol in Salterhebble, Halifax, tried to stop his car after seeing him refuel his Audi A3 at a petrol station in the early hours of October 2, 2019.

Bradford Crown Court heard Rushworth, of Greenups Mill, Sowerby Bridge, made a deliberate decision to flee from police during a six-minute pursuit where he hit speeds of 105mph.

Judge Andrew Hatton branded it an “appalling piece of dangerous driving” and told him: “Police put on their blue lights and you put your foot down.”

The court heard drove at 105mph in a 40mph zone, 95 mph in a 30mph zone and fled through Sowerby Bridge at 85mph on a 20mph road.

On the B6113 Rochdale Road, Rushworth was driving over 80mph, but lost control of the car and hit a dry stone wall.

Prosecutor Lucy Brown told the court that the Audi flipped over and landed in a field, snapping a telegraph pole, bringing down power lines and disrupting power in the area.

Rushworth fled the scene and managed to get away, despite a police helicopter and dog unit being scrambled in the search to find him.

Officers at the scene found a mobile phone in the car, which was called by his partner and mother.

An opened bottle of Stella Artois was found in the vehicle and Rushworth’s DNA was found on the airbag which had exploded.

Rushworth’s barrister, Aubrey Simpson, said the driving clearly passed the custodial threshold, but said his offending had been triggered by the tragic suicide of a close friend in May 2018 and it was at that point he “went off the rails”.

Mr Sampson said Rushworth, who had been banned from driving in May 2019 for drink driving, had taken steps to resolve the situation and was keen to get the help the probation service is willing to give and asked for the sentence to be suspended.

Judge Hatton said the sentence must be served immediately.

After Rushworth failed to stop, he said: “What followed was the most appalling piece of sustained dangerous driving over the course of six minutes through areas that are largely residential and through the centre of Sowerby Bridge.

He said he was satisfied Rushworth had been drinking as he was the only occupant of the car and the open bottle of Stella Artois was found.

He was jailed for 15 months and disqualified for three years and must take an extended re-test.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the Audi.