A BANNED motorist had nothing to celebrate when he appeared in court on his birthday to be sentenced for dangerous driving.

Tyler Roberts turned 28 on the day he appeared at Bolton Crown Court via a video link from Forest Bank prison and Judge John Edwards jailed him for 14 months.

"It's your birthday today — a good day to take a hard look at your life," the judge told him.

"You have got an appalling record generally and an inauspicious driving record."

Antony Longworth, prosecuting, told how police spotted Roberts driving a Daihatsu Charade in Leigh town centre just before 8pm on March 19, but he refused to stop, travelling at speeds of up to 60mph on roads including Glebe Street and Windermere Road before crashing into bollards.

Roberts had not given way at junctions, had driven on the wrong side of the road and at speed over road humps in narrow residential streets.

He tried to run away but was caught after a short chase.

"It is not known why Mr Roberts was driving in that way to avoid the police other than the fact that he was driving whilst disqualified and therefore without insurance," said Mr Longworth.

Roberts, of Westmorland Road, Tyldesley, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving whilst banned and having no insurance.

The court heard that he has multiple convictions for drugs, violence, theft and drink and drug driving offences.

Martin Pizzey, defending, said Roberts accepted a prison sentence was inevitable.

"It is perhaps through good fortune rather than good management, there was no damage to person or property," said Mr Pizzey, who stressed that the police pursuit had only lasted one minute and 35 seconds.

He added that Roberts had no drugs in his system but a passenger in the car had urged him to "carry on, carry on" to try and escape from police.

Once out of prison, he said Roberts plans to leave the area.

"His intention is to relocate as far away as possible," said Mr Pizzey.

As well as the jail sentence, Judge Edwards banned Roberts from applying for a driving licence for three years and seven months, after which he will have to take an extended test.

He told Roberts: "The ball's in your court. You continue the path you're intent on pursuing and the sentences will get longer and longer.

"This was a bad piece of driving. Anybody could have ended up on a mortuary slab."