Police have released video footage of a pursuit of a motorist who drove off from officers after being spotted asleep in his car at a petrol station.

Patrick McCabe rammed a police car before driving off from the service station in Copthorne, West Sussex, at speed and on the wrong side of a dual carriageway as he was pursued by officers and the police helicopter.

The 24-year-old was eventually arrested after being tracked driving down a pedestrian pathway and fleeing his car before hiding underneath another vehicle in the incident on November 21.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “Officers were alerted to a man, Patrick McCabe, being asleep in the back of his car at a petrol pump at a service station in Copthorne Common Road, Copthorne.

“Two police cars arrived on the scene, one parking behind the vehicle and one in front of the vehicle.

“McCabe woke up and rammed the police car parked behind his vehicle and made off from the scene.

“Officers, assisted by the police helicopter, pursued McCabe who drove with excessive speed, almost collided with a transit tipper van and even drove on the wrong side of the dual carriageway.

“McCabe was tracked driving down a pedestrian path before fleeing from the vehicle and attempting to hide underneath a car in a nearby hotel car park.”

McCabe, of Croydon Road, Caterham, Surrey, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court for dangerous driving, driving without a licence and without insurance and two counts of criminal damage.

He was given a 19-month prison sentence suspended for two years, banned from driving for two years and order to carry out 15 rehabilitation days.