A MAN who led police on a seven-mile car chase along icy roads has been jailed for eight months.

The “blue light” pursuit began when Lewis Ramsden-Stone accelerated off from Crossflatts in his black Audi at 1.30am on January 20, Bradford Crown Court heard on Tuesday.

He sped through the village of Wilsden at 80mph before slipping and sliding on to Haworth Road and along Duchy Drive, Heaton, to Leylands Lane.

Ramsden-Stone abandoned the vehicle on North Park Road and was apprehended after he was chased by officers on foot.

Prosecutor Andrew Horton said he continued to deny that he was at the wheel of the Audi although a jury had convicted him of dangerous driving after a trial last month.

Ramsden-Stone, 32, of Highfield Road, Frizinghall, Bradford, maintained his innocence during an interview with his probation officer, the court was told. Mr Horton said the defendant was wearing an orange jacket when he ran from the car and he was arrested soon afterwards in the coat with the vehicle keys in his pocket. It was not clear why Ramsden-Stone sped off that night because he had not been drinking and his car was insured and fully legal.

A small amount of cannabis was found near to where he was hiding, the court was told.

Ramsden-Stone’s barrister, Abigail Langford, said he still did not accept that he was driving that night. He was a hardworking man, with a partner and two children, and Miss Langford urged the court to take an exceptional course and spare him an immediate prison sentence.

But Judge David Hatton QC said: “This was a prolonged course of driving over several miles, through residential areas in wet and icy conditions, while being pursued by the police.”

The judge continued: “It has been said time and time again in these courts that offences of dangerous driving of that nature, particularly in the course of a police chase, will result in custodial sentences.”

Ramsden-Stone told the police the driving that night was “horrible” and “awful,” saying they needed to catch “the dangerous prat and get him off the road.”

Judge Hatton pointed out that Ramsden-Stone had been found guilty and the “dangerous prat” was therefore himself.

He was banned from driving for 16 months and ordered to take an extended retest before he drives again.