A MAN obsessed with cars who led police on a 60mph chase through town centre streets before abandoning his vehicle has been spared jail.

James Blackman, 23, of Oakham Close, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failure to stop after a road traffic collision, failure to stop a vehicle when required to do so by a constable, failure to comply with a no entry sign, possession of a Class B drug and using a vehicle without third party insurance at Swindon Crown Court on Friday.

The court heard he had been seen running a red light by an officer in the town centre on July 23 this year, before speeding through Commercial Road, Crombey Street, William Street, Bath Road and Kingshill, and ultimately abandoning the car and fleeing at a field in Wanborough.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told the court: “There was no injury as a result of the collision, it is a sequence of bad driving through a number of roads in the town centre.

“It took place during the day on a Wednesday afternoon.

“An officer in Swindon saw a green Mini which then drove off at speed from a red traffic light.

“The officer felt there was no reason for the car to have done this and was immediately suspicious.

“He followed the car and there were three people in the vehicle as it travelled along roads in Swindon which have a 30mph limit, going at around 60mph, swerving in and out of the traffic.

“Pedestrians had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit.

“There are various chicanes in this part of Swindon which did not help Mr Blackman as his car continued through these areas. The car appeared to be rolling on its axle. It went through a no entry sign on William Street which had a row of parked cars on one side preventing people driving the other way. It mounted a kerb to avoid another vehicle in the street.

“At one point, a member of the public had been driving in Crombey Street when he was hit from behind by the Mini.

“Other police officers became involved and came to Wanshot Close at 1.15pm. People were seen running across a field from the car, and they were detained and arrested. Mr Blackman said at that stage he had some cannabis in his back pocket.

“He admits he was driving dangerously. He has a record dating back from 2006, including aggravated vehicle taking in 2008, and his last conviction was for possession of cannabis.”

Rob Ross, defending, said: “They arrested him later in the day when someone saw the car in Wanborough.

“The other aggravating fact is it is in the afternoon and he travels on the kerb.

“The speed is excessive, and he accepts that.

“This is a young man who is fairly obsessed with motor vehicles. It is a young man with some friends in the car who, frankly, was showing off.

“He shows contrition and accepts everything in interview.

“We may be able to nip an adult career in crime in the bud, now.”

Blackman was given an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years.

In addition, he was banned from driving for 12 months, handed an 18-month supervision order and made to carry out 122 hours of unpaid work.

Recorder Nicholas Atkinson, sentencing, said: “You are in your early 20s now and you should not be in court like this. Next time you will go straight to prison.

“Do not be so foolish as to think the police won’t see you if you drive again, because they will.”