A LONDON man has been handed a jail term after leading police on an afternoon chase through Boscombe.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard David Ariran, 45, was approached by police investigating an alleged robbery on August 25 last year as he sat in his car in Christchurch Road at around 1pm.

The officer pulled up closely beside his car to prevent him opening his door, the court heard, and bid him wind down his window.

"He did so but was immediately abusive, saying 'what the f**k do you want'," said prosecutor Roderick Blain.

Mr Blain said Ariran then drove off at speed, causing the officer to pursue him up Palmerston Road. His speed reached 50mph, and during the chase he crashed into parked Mercedes. Fortunately its occupant was uninjured.

At Asda, by the railway station, Ariran abandoned his vehicle and climbed over a fence into a garden, and then onto the railway line pursued by police. He was unable to jump over the security fence on the other side, and was arrested on crossing back over the line.

The court heard his previous offences include assault occasioning actual bodily harm, burglaries, a robbery and dealing class A drugs, for the latter of which he received a five year prison term.

He admitted dangerous driving, driving while under the influence of cocaine, failing to stop for a police officer and trespassing on the railway. A charge of robbery was dismissed with no evidence offered by the Crown.

In mitigation, Rob Harding said his client's offending was driven by drug addiction.

"There is no excuse for this offending, just a reason, and that reason is drugs," he said.

He said his client had been living with his sister in London for several years and had been able to stop taking drugs, during which time he had not committed any crimes.

"Unfortunately for Mr Ariran, the officers and other road users, on his birthday he lapsed into the use of drugs. That is what led him to be before this court."

He said the defendant was back living with his sister and hoping to get a catering job.

Passing a 10 month jail sentence, Judge Peter Johnson said: "What you did on that day was in order to avoid arrest.

"You put the lives of members of the public at risk."

Ariran was also banned from driving for two years.