AN ERRATIC driver has been jailed for a year after driving at double the speed limit for more than ten miles to escape police.

Officers were patrolling at around 1am when they spotted an Audi A3 driving erratically, swerving around and speeding up and slowing down.

The officers followed the car and registration checks found it was registered to an address in another area of the country.

They activated their emergency lights, but instead of pulling over, the driver, 23-year-old Reece Sawyer, of Beech Road, Hadleigh, sped up and fled.

Sawyer drove between 60 and 80 miles an hour in a 40mph zone before reaching the A13, when he sped up to 110 miles an hour.

He left the highway at Pitsea, heading towards the McDonald’s in High Road, when another police car emerged in front of him.

Sawyer swerved to avoid it, clipping the car but managed to keep driving.

He then sped down London Road towards Sadlers Farm roundabout, and eventually ended up in Rectory Road, Hadleigh, where he crashed the car through some railings, and left on foot.

Sawyer was bitten by a police dog during the chase on foot, but then managed to hide in some bushes, before officers found him.

It was later found that Sawyer had no insurance on the car and was previously disqualified from driving.

At Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday he admitted dangerous driving and driving while disqualified during the chase, which ran from Grays to Benfleet.

It was revealed he had lied to police at the scene saying he was not the driver.

Mitigating, Ian Clift said: “He knows he will be losing his licence for a long time.

“He lives with his grandmother, who has contacted his previous employer who has said it would be willing to take him on.”

Judge Ian Graham sentenced Sawyer to 12 months in prison for dangerous driving.