A YOUNG driver tore through six miles of Bournemouth’s residential streets on a high speed police chase, thinking that if he went fast enough officers would give up.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard how a PC tried to stop Mitchell Brake, 22, after spotting him using his mobile phone while driving along Castle Lane East one Saturday morning.

But Brake tried to copy what he’d seen on TV shows and raced off in the black Audi A3, ripping through 20 and 30mph zones at up to 60mph.

Officers lost sight of the sports car once during the dash, but caught up later once Brake had stopped and got out.

Prosecutor Anita Gibson-Lee said: “He thought initially he may have been over the drink-drive limit and if he drove fast enough, the police would stop following him as he had seen this in TV programmes.

“In police interviews after his arrest he described his actions as ridiculously stupid.”

Rob Griffiths, mitigating, said Brake had been naive during the incident at around 8.30am on 12 November last year.

“It was a Saturday morning so fortunately traffic appears to have been lighter,” Mr Griffiths said.

“It does not appear that many people were put in danger.

“People were not forced off the road or caused to swerve.”

Brake, of Archdale Close, Bournemouth, was given a four month suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to dangerous driving, using a mobile phone while driving and also failing to stop.

He has been disqualified from driving for a year and must do 15 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Peter Johnson said if Brake – who was late for his job in the motor trade - hadn’t sped off he would probably have just got a penalty notice.

“I can only endorse the words that are flowing from your mouth: ridiculously stupid.

“For a distance of over seven miles you put members of the public at risk, driving through a built up area at sometimes three times the limit.”