A dangerous driver led police on a chase at speeds of nearly 90mph after ‘giving a friend a lift home’, a court has heard.

Jordan Roylance, 25, was spotted by police officers driving a black Mercedes on Leigh Road, Hindley at around 8pm on July 27 this year.

Bolton Crown Court heard how on seeing them, Roylance then drove off at high speed and a chase ensued along Wigan Road, Leigh.

Juliet Berry, prosecuting, said: “The officers noticed that the defendant travelled at times on the opposite side of the carriageway.”

She told the court how other cars had to ‘take evasive action’ as Roylance, of Leigh Road, Leigh, sped away from the officers and that at one point he reached a speed of 87mph.

He eventually came to a stop on Slater Street and tried to escape down an alleyway before being arrested.

Following his arrest Roylance, who has 13 previous convictions for 32 offences, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without a licence and failing to stop for police.

Laura Broome, defending, argued that Roylance deserved credit for having pleaded guilty.

She also pointed out that no one had been injured and no damage had been done, though she admitted this was “down to luck more than anything else.”

She said: “It’s not clear how long the police pursuit was but it doesn’t appear to have been very long.”

Ms Broome told the court that Roylance had been ‘giving a friend a lift home’ but had panicked when he saw the police and tried to get away.

She said he now fully accepted what he had done and had made no attempt to minimise his actions.

According to Ms Broome, Roylance has struggled with alcohol and cocaine but is determined to address his addictions and is ‘motivated to change.’

But the Honorary Recorder for Bolton Judge Martin Walsh reminded the court that Roylance’s driving could have had extremely serious consequences.

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He said: “This was an extensive pursuit by police during the course of which you drove at appalling speeds.”

He added: “It is by sheer good fortune that no one was killed or seriously injured as a result of your driving.”

Judge Walsh sentenced Roylance to 12 months in prison and banned him from the roads for four years.