A BANNED driver who was chased by police at high-speed through Huncoat before he smashed head-on into a patrol car is behind bars for 16 months.

Burnley Crown Court heard how trainee motor mechanic Harry Nugent, 19, hurtled past a primary school on the pavement as children were leaving and injured three police officers in the car, trying to block his way.

Sentencing Nugent, Judge Raymond Bennett said he could have killed somebody in the pursuit. He added Nugent had had two passengers in his car and shouldn't have been behind the wheel at all.

On an earlier occasion the defendant confronted two terrified 17-year-olds with a meat cleaver and attacked one -- the judge said that they must have been scared out of their wits.

Nugent, of Albert Street, Burnley, admitted dangerous driving in July, driving whilst disqualified, affray, having an offensive weapon and common assault.

Gavin McBride, prosecuting, said Nugent clocked up 70mph on a 40mph in Hapton, and police began the chase.

The defendant sped through red traffic lights and reached 40 miles above the speed limit on Whinney Hill Road. He overtook waiting cars at traffic lights, causing oncoming cars to swerve and break and when a police Land Rover was positioned in the centre of the road, he drove onto the kerb to get round it. After the crash, Nugent told officers he had been taking the car to a scrap yard. Mr McBride said Nugent had been on bail following the meat cleaver incident, in which the defendant threatened to cut the teenagers up and headbutted one youth in the face, leaving him with a bleeding nose and cut lip.

Paul Hague, defending, said Nugent had left home at 16 to live with his girlfriend. They split up this year. He had never known his father and both his brothers had been in trouble.

Mr Hague said the defendant had started to make a little bit of money from dealing in old bangers and had a friend to do the driving. On this occasion, the friend did not turn up, Nugent was taking the car to the scrap yard and panicked when he saw the police behind him.

In the other incident, Nugent did not use the meat cleaver on the 17 year old boy, no serious injury was caused and the offences were a piece of "nasty bullying," brought on partly by drink.