POLICE aborted the pursuit of a driver who reached speeds of almost 90mph as he attempted to escaped from officers.

Nicholas John Craig Castle initially evaded officers in North Dorset on March 19.

The defendant was located in a pub car park where officers believed they had him trapped but he managed to make off via a second exit point.

He was later arrested near his home in Kingston Row, Sturminster Newton.

Castle, aged 24, appeared in the dock for sentencing at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday, May 29.

Prosecuting, Gary Venturi said officers in a police car became aware Castle was driving an Audi and they wanted to speak with him.

They located the vehicle in a layby near Gillingham. As officers pulled up they could see movement within the Audi with two people changing seats.

Someone got out of the car and then the defendant, who was behind the wheel now, made off at speed.

Mr Venturi said the vehicle “swayed from side to side” as it went off and police initiated a pursuit.

The prosecutor said Castle drove at speeds of at least 60mph in a 30mph. At one point he approached a roundabout at close to 90mph.

The defendant went straight through a red light “with no intention to brake” and travelled on the wrong side of the road.

Officers aborted the pursuit due to concerns for the safety of other road users and Castle was deemed a wanted man by police.

No details of the duration or distance covered in the pursuit was given in court.

Castle and the vehicle were later located in the car park of Red Lion pub . Police thought they had him trapped but he made off through a second exit.

Later officers attended the area around his home address, where they saw the Audi parked up. More officers attended, including a dog handler, and Castle was arrested nearby. He was carrying £80 to £90 of meat in meat which someone else had stolen from Tesco.

Castle pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without a licence, using a motor vehicle without insurance and handling stolen goods.

The court heard he had 13 previous convictions for 31 offences.

Mitigating, Richard Wayman acknowledged that immediate custody was the only outcome.

“It is for him to take the further steps to turn his life around,” Mr Wayman said.

Sentencing judge Recorder Tom Brown told Castle: “You are a young person with a criminal record encompassing a range offending.”

He jailed the defendant for eight months and disqualified him from driving for two years and 89 days.