A WELDER who led officers on a high-speed chase through residential areas of a town claimed he did so because he was terrified the police.

Burnley Crown Court heard how father-of-two Joe Ashley Shepherd eventually abandoned his black Audi A7 following the one-mile pursuit through Nelson.

And when a police officer called him and quizzed him about the incident Shepherd, 29, of Bispham Road, Nelson, claimed he had not been driving and that his car had been stolen but he had not got around to reporting it.

After being warned there was CCTV around that area that could identify him as the driver, Shepherd rang the officer back a few minutes later admitted it was in fact him behind the wheel.

Prosecuting, Emma Kehoe said PC Neil Goodison was driving along Every Street in Nelson at about 9.45am on July 9 when he said Shepherd travelling towards him in the Audi.

Ms Kehoe said PC Goodison recognised Shepherd from a previous crash.

When the Audi flashed up as having no insurance PC Goodison attempted to pull it over by turning on his blue lights.

But Shepherd did not stop and instead accelerated up to 45mph in a 30mph zone and turned onto Pendle Street. The court heard how the Audi then went onto the wrong side of the road and went the wrong way around a roundabout.

Ms Kehoe said PC Goodison had to drive at up to 60mph in a bid to stay with the Audi which went over a give-way junction without stopping.When the Audi got to Charles Street it forced its way through parked cars and passed an oncoming vehicle.

PC Goodison lost sight of the Audi when he got to the junction of Reedyford Road but eventually found it abandoned in Hammond Street.

Shepherd, who has seven previous convictions for 18 offences, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance.

Defending, Laura Heywood said her client had been the victim of a £5,000 theft from his bank account which led to his insurance policy being cancelled when a monthly direct debit payment was not made.

Ms Heywood said: “The defendant says he had an encounter with the police two years ago where the police mistook him for his brother. They attended his address. He describes hem beating him up in front of his daughter He had to go to hospital for treatment. He suffers from anxiety as a result of that. He therefore panics whenever he sees a police officer whether he’s done something or not.”

Shepherd was given a four month prison sentence, suspended for two years.