A DRINK driver who led police on a 70-miles-per-hour chase with two burst tyres and even switched his headlights off has been jailed.

Burnley Crown Court heard dangerous driver Jake Adam Biriny, 21, was serving his second driving ban during the high-speed incident on May 5.

Prosecutor Lisa Worsley said the incident came just months after Biriny, of Raglan Road, Burnley, got into a drunken brawl which saw him miss his target with a wayward punch and put his fist through a car window.

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Ms Worsley said that at around 11pm on May 5, a police officer saw a black Vauxhall Corsa being driven at speed along St Matthew Street, Burnley, without any lights on. The Corsa was followed onto Pritchard Street and Montague Road but failed to give way as it approached the junction with Manchester Road.

The court heard as Biriny turned left onto Rosehill Road his car was spotted by a second officer.

Ms Worsley said: "As he got to the junction with Rosehill Avenue PC Crossley saw the car had mounted the pavement. It appeared it had overshot the junction and gone into the wall of a property. PC Crossley illuminated his full blue lights as he wasn't sure the driver was even aware of his presence.

"He noticed there was a male and female in the vehicle. He shouted for them to turn off the engine. At this point the car started to reverse quickly."

Ms Worsley said the car picked up speed and by the time it reached Manchester Road it was travelling at 70-miles-per hour in a 30 zone.

At that point a second officer noticed the car's tyres appeared to be deflated on one side and the driver was having difficulty steering.

As the Corsa made its way onto Scott Park Road it was clocked doing 50-miles-per-hour in a 30 zone. As the car turned right onto Coal Clough Lane and onto Queensbury Road it again failed to give way at junctions and on one occasion narrowly avoided a head-on collision with another vehicle.

The prosecutor said the pursuit continued for another 10 minutes as the car's tyres continued to deflate. As the Corsa made its way from Montague Road to Manchester Road a police Transit van blocked its path and the court heard Biriny tried to put it into reverse. Officers then made the decision to "box it in", Ms Worsley said.

Biriny was then removed from the car with the help of a police dog and arrested.

The court heard that when the Corsa was inspected by police both offside tyres were deflated and the front one was down to the rim.

When Biriny was breathalysed he was found to be nearly one and a half times over the legal limit.

He told police he had had six cans of Budweiser between 4pm and 10pm and two bacon sandwiches.

At around 11pm he had decided to go and visit his father's grave at Burnley Cemetery and Crematorium in Rossendale Road.

But the court heard at the time Biriny, who has 23 convictions for 45 offences, was banned from driving, having been convicted of dangerous driving in 2016. He had also received another ban in 2013.

Describing the earlier criminal damage incident in Padiham, Ms Worsley said Nissan X-trail owner David Hamer was woken at around 3am on February 4 by the sound of shouting and a loud shouting noise. When he went to his vehicle later the same day Mr Hamer found a window had been smashed. Forensic tests traced blood found in the broken glass to Biriny.

Ms Worsley said: "He got into a fight in the early hours of the morning. He was acting recklessly and accidentally hit the car window when he tried to punch a male. He swung and missed and hit the car window."

Defending, James Heyworth said his client's criminality was fuelled by alcohol misuse and asked the court to suspend any custodial sentence so he could work with the probation service to address it.

Mr Heyworth said: "He understands he is on the thinnest of thin ice. Although he doesn't wish to go to custody he couldn't and shouldn't complain if that was the case. I would encourage the court to suspend the sentence and giving him an alcohol treatment requirement to enable him to deal with his alcohol issues."

Biriny pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified, driving with no insurance, driving with excess alcohol, dangerous driving and criminal damage.

Judge Sara Dodd said she would be "failing in her public duty" if she did not impose an immediate custodial sentence.

Judge Dodd said: "You drove a car in an appallingly dangerous manner. You weren't insured, you were disqualified. and you were over the alcohol limit."

Biriny was jailed for 10 months and banned from driving for three years. He must also take an extended driving test.