A CAR being pursued by police through built-up areas of a Kent town reached speeds of 80mph, a court heard.

The Vauxhall Cavalier sped along the seafront at Margate, where the police car slowed but sounded its siren to warn people.

The car stopped at St John’s churchyard where its two occupants fled. Police arrested the driver, Scott Campbell, 20, who, at Canterbury Crown Court was jailed for 19 months.

Campbell, of no fixed address, had been committed for sentence by Thanet magistrates for dangerous driving, driving when disqualified and without insurance and making off without paying for petrol worth £58.70 from a Garlinge garage, all admitted.

Mr Recorder Peter Morgan told Campbell that a police officer had said it was some of the worst driving he had ever seen. Mr Recorder Morgan said: “It was a miracle no one was injured. You have a long association with car crime and had never held a full licence.

“On this night you were a serious risk to yourself and your passenger, the public and the police,” he said.

Campbell had three convictions for driving when disqualified and also a conviction for dangerous driving.

During the pursuit, Campbell contravened no entry signs, went the wrong way round mini roundabouts, narrowly missed other vehicles, sped past speed cameras and swerved the wrong way round bollards.

Peter Alcock, defending, said Campbell wished to have a clean slate and asked the court to balance his bad record and the driving against the hope that he would be someone who could work and live normally.

He wanted to sort things out and provide for his two children.