AN Audi S3 driver who did 100mph in a 40 zone during a police chase was ‘in the last chance saloon’ if he drives like that again, the judge sentencing him said today.

Aeron Powell was spared an immediate jail sentence because he is the sole carer for his young child and had done well on a court order since committing the offence more than two years ago.

Powell, 34, of Darnay Lane, Little Horton, Bradford, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on streets including New Hey Road on August 3, 2020.

Bradford Crown Court heard that he was seen speeding along Wakefield Road at 59mph at 10.20am. The road has a 40mph limit and the police ordered him to stop. When they had pulled alongside, he sped off and they went after him.

Powell drove at up to 100mph in a 40 zone and 60mph in a 20 zone. He cut in and out of lines of traffic and forced other road users to take evasive action to avoid a collision.

He then abandoned the car and made off on foot.

When interviewed by the police he said his driving wasn’t dangerous.

Saf Salam said in mitigation that Powell was the sole carer for his young daughter and hoped to be at liberty to collect her from school later in the day.

He suffered with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The offence was more than two years ago and if the police had been looking for Powell they had not tried very hard to find him because he was living at his home address the whole time.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Richard Mansell QC, said: “He’s in the last chance saloon if he drives like this again.”

Powell had previous convictions for driving while disqualified and with excess alcohol.

Judge Mansell said it was a four-minute pursuit in the morning at up to 100mph in a 40 zone, forcing other road users to take action to avoid the Audi.

Powell had been saved from an immediate prison sentence by the fact that he was sole carer for the child and because he was doing very well on a court order for an offence of disqualified driving that post-dated the dangerous driving.

He was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with 15 rehabilitation activity days with the probation service.

He was banned from driving for 18 months and until he passes an extended retest.