A MAN who sparked a high-speed police chase through the streets of Amesbury has been banned from driving.

Robert Evans, of James Road, Amesbury, previously admitted dangerous driving at Salisbury Magistrates Court on March 24.

At his sentencing on Friday (April 7), the court heard that Evans, 26, prompted a "police pursuit at excess speed in a built up area" on February 18.

Prosecuting, Kate Prince, said police on patrol at about 9am saw Evans's Citroen Xsara Picasso, which was known to them, parked at the end of a cul-de-sac.

When the officers turned their own vehicle towards Evans, he drove off at "excess speed".

Police followed him through the housing estate, before the he turned right at a roundabout and "continued to drive at about 50 or 60mph on a 30mph road".

Ms Prince said Evans pulled over and got out of his car after the officers turned on their blue lights, but when the police approached his vehicle he "jumped back in and drove off at speed".

Ms Prince said Evans was driving "in an erratic manner on the wrong side of the road, exceeding the speed limit" and "veering from one lane to another with no indication, for no reason".

Evans turned into Coniston Close, Amesbury and left the car before running off, but officers caught up with him and arrested him.

Defending, Nick Redhead, said the chase through the streets of Amesbury happened as Evans did not want to be searched by police.

Mr Redhead said Evans, who had "a background of drugs", would sometimes be stopped and searched by police and that it was "embarrassing for him and his companions".

He said: "On this particular morning he was in his vehicle with someone. He saw a police car manoeuvring towards him and panicked."

The court heard that Evans took "0.1 seconds" to make the decision to drive off.

Bench chairman A Denman said it was "a very serious and troubling offence".

He said: "You were driving very fast for a prolonged period of time.

"It was a peak time of day, at 9 o'clock, with obvious possible consequences."

Magistrates gave Evans a six month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

He was also disqualified from driving for 18 months and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.