A DRIVER who led police on a high speed chase in a stolen car was caught after he fled into a pub.

Andrew Taylor refused to stop for police after they spotted him in Leigh, behind the wheel of a VW Golf which had been stolen the previous day.

Geoffrey Lowe, prosecuting, told Bolton Crown Court how 38-year-old Taylor led officers on an eight-minute chase through Westhoughton, Atherton and Tyldesley, reaching speeds of over 90mph on 40mph limit roads, driving on the wrong side of the road, heading through red lights and the wrong way down a one-way street.

The police helicopter joined in the pursuit and it only ended when Taylor, who has two previous convictions for dangerous driving, pulled the car into the car park of the Boar’s Head in Church Street, Leigh and he and another man headed inside the pub.

Mr Lowe told the court how Taylor, of St George’s Street, Tyldesley, proved to be over the alcohol limit for driving after the pursuit at 8.30pm on February 14.

In previous years Taylor has amassed numerous convictions and prison sentences for driving related offences but Nicholas Ross, defending, stressed that, since 2016, his only conviction has been in January this year for shoplifting.

Taylor pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving whilst banned and having no insurance and appeared in court for sentence via a video link after being remanded in custody.

“He now very much seems to regard himself as being at a turning point in his life,” Mr Ross told Judge Tom Gilbart.

“He is not getting any younger and if he continues to offend, he very much recognises he is going to end up in and out of jail for the rest of his rather more advanced adult life.”

He stressed that no one was injured or damage caused during the chase and Taylor is now “highly motivated” to work with the probation service to change his life.

Judge Gilbart described Taylor’s driving as “disgraceful” but accepted that his remorse is genuine and there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

The defendant was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years during which he will have to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work and participate in 19 sessions of thinking skills and 35 days of rehabilitation activities.

He was banned from applying for a driving licence for four years after which he will have to take an extended driving test.