A DRIVER led police on a 100mph car chase before trying to escape on foot and being caught by a police dog, a court heard.

Adrian Van der Goudenhart, 22, was driving the Mercedes without a licence or insurance in a car described as having a “major defect”.

At Bolton Crown Court, Paul Treble, prosecuting, said on June 2 at around 7pm, a police officer drove past a Mercedes on Morris Green Lane in Bolton. The car aroused the officer’s suspicion as the rear end was low.

The officer began a pursuit with Van der Goudenhart increasing his speed and driving on the other side of the road to escape.

Mr Treble said the driver was travelling “in excess of 95mph” but was increasing his speed until he became blocked in by two other vehicles.

The defendant then drove at 45mph, again on the wrong side of the road, before turning down a side street, and eventually into a cul-de-sac, followed by police.

He came to a stop and he and a passenger left the car and ran away. A chase ensued and Van der Goudenhart, of Thurstone Street, Bolton, was caught around 700m away, following the deployment of a police dog.

Checks were later carried out on the vehicle which showed a major defect with the rear suspension.

Mr Treble said Van der Goudenhart had no previous convictions, but had been disqualified from driving on two previous occasions.

Sara Lewis, defending, said Van der Goudenhart, who admitted to dangerous driving, having no licence or insurance, and failing to stop, showed genuine remorse.

“He accepts he put other people and himself at risk,” she said. “He has two daughters and is the bread winner for the family and is due to start work as a warehouseman at Amazon.”

Sentencing him to an eight-month prison term sentence suspended for two years, Judge Timothy Stead, said: “This is the sort of driving that I can’t help thinking if I had been an eye witness to I might not have felt the same. You are a family man and your first duty is your family but you have a very cavalier attitude to whether you need a driving licence.

“Driving at 95mph in a built-up area is really the sort of offending that would result in a prison sentence but I think you are genuine in accepting the utter folly of what you did and you have a young family in very difficult times so I’m going to give you a chance.”

Van der Goudenhart must also complete 20 rehabilitation activity days, pay £340 costs and was banned from driving for 12 months.