A BANNED driver who tried to run over two police officers, threatened two others and rammed a police car has been jailed.

Liam Stevenson was spotted driving a black Nissan Micra at more than double the speed limit through the streets of Blackburn, Preston Crown Court.

As police tried to get him to stop, Stevenson forced an off-duty officer to swerve to avoid a head-on collision.

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When the 21-year-old reached a bridge near to Feniscowles Primary School in Livesey Branch Road, he reversed into a police car twice, the court heard.

The police car was rammed so hard it hit a lamppost on a traffic island.

The high speed pursuit occurred on October 10, just six days after Stevenson was arrested for attempting to run over two police officers and threatening to kill two others unless his girlfriend was released from custody.

As Stevenson, of Livesey Branch Road, was jailed for 27 months, detectives said they hoped the severity of his sentence would act as ‘a deterrent to others’.

Stevenson, who has 55 previous convictions, admitted two counts of dangerous driving, two counts of driving while disqualified, one count of failing to stop at the scene of an accident and one of sending an offensive, indecent or obscene communication.

Prosecuting, Cecilia Pritchard, said the impact of ramming the vehicle was such that a police officer had to be carried out of the car on a spinal board and taken to hospital.

He has since been diagnosed with whiplash.

Following the incident Stevenson went on the run and detectives issued a witness appeal asking for help in finding him. He was finally arrested seven days later, the court heard.

Ms Pritchard said the original proceedings had begun when the defendant was seen by officers investigating a disturbance at a takeaway in Darwen Street, Blackburn.

As Stevenson tried to flee the scene, he grabbed the wheel of a Vauxhall Adam being driven by his girlfriend and steered it directly towards an officer standing in his path, forcing him to jump out of the way.

Ms Pritchard, said another officer stepped in front of the car and Stevenson again turned the wheel towards them.

The court heard the car was eventually stopped further down the road and Stevenson’s girlfriend was arrested.

The defendant, who had run from the scene, later made two phone calls to the police station demanding she was released.

Ms Pritchard said: “At 2.40 in the morning the defendant called Greenbank Police Station.

“He identified himself. He spoke about his girlfriend and demanded she be released.

“He admitted he had grabbed the wheel and turned the car towards the officers.

“He said he would hand himself in when his girlfriend was released.”

The court heard Stevenson, who refused to leave his prison cell to attend the sentencing hearing, called the police again four hours later.

Ms Pritchard said: “On this occasion he said ‘I am going to kill the officer who arrested my girlfriend. The one in the BMW I went to punch, he’s dead too. You don’t know who I am. You really don’t. The game has just begun’.”

Stevenson was subsequently arrested on October 4 and bailed before committing the second offence of dangerous driving.

Defending, Neil Howard said Stevenson was remorseful and at the time of the incidents his client had not been taking the medication he needed to cope with his mental health issues.

He said he already had one child and found out his girlfriend was pregnant with his second during his incarceration.

Mr Howard said: “There is no justification or excuse for that manner of driving.

“Mr Stevenson appreciates it was fortunate nobody was injured more in the incidents.”

The court heard Stevenson had committed the offences while banned from driving after being convicted of dangerous driving in 2013.

The judge, Recorder Kevin Grice, said: “There is a high risk of him reoffending. But I accept his remorse as far as these offences are concerned.”

Speaking after the case, DI Tim McDermott, said: “The incidents Mr Stevenson has been sentenced for are ones in which he showed total disregard for the lives of other road users.”

“In the second incident in particular, where a police vehicle was rammed, the consequences could have been much worse and the officer was extremely lucky not to have been very seriously injured.

“I welcome the significant custodial sentence he has received and hope it acts as both as a deterrent to others and as a wake-up call to Mr Stevenson that such behaviour won’t be tolerated by the court.”