A man has been jailed after leading police on a terrifying 10 minute chase through the streets of Bolton.
Jake Bates cried quietly in the dock, while a man in the public gallery shouted "bulls***" and "it's a f***ing joke" as the judge, Recorder Ciaran Rankin sentenced Bates to nine months imprisonment.
Bates, of Mytham Gardens, Little Lever, used his benefits to buy a stolen car from a group of travellers, a week before turning 24, Bolton Crown Court heard.
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Bates did not have a licence at the time, with his mum set to gift him a crash driving course for his birthday.
Despite this, he drove the red Peugeot 208 on July 25 and sped off from police when he noticed that they had started to follow him.
Dash cam footage played in court by prosecution barrister Keith Jones showed the pursuit in full.
At times, Bates was driving 90mph on 30mph areas and he drove on the wrong side of busy roads on a number of occasions, forcing oncoming cars to swerve out of the way.
After driving towards Blackburn Road from Moss Bank Way, Bates made his way to Tonge Moor Road, where he smashed the wing mirror of a Vauxhall Corsa.
He turned down Crompton Way and followed it back to Blackburn Road, before ignoring a no entry sign, turning the wrong way down a narrow one-way street towards Darwen Road.
Eventually, Bates ended up back on Tonge Moor Road, then turned onto Crompton Way, before using the wrong lane to illegally turn onto Tonge Moor Road, where he was finally stopped and dragged from the car by a police officer.
According to Mr Jones, the officer following Bates described one of his manoeuvres as "the most dangerous he has ever seen".
The driver of the Corsa hit by Bates said that he had his two sons - aged five and eight - in the car at the time.
He described how they were left 'frightened', following the loud bang that the collision caused.
The man said that he was shook up himself and had to spend £10.99 getting replacement glass for his wing mirror.
Bates pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.
Defending, Claire Brocklebank told the court that Bates has no previous convictions and that he is 'deeply sorry'.
"It was his birthday seven days later and his mum was going to buy him an intensive driving course," she said.
"He was recently assaulted and saw the car as a safe way to get around.
"Due to his own actions, he has thrown that opportunity away."
Miss Brocklebank added that Bates has ADHD and a history of depression.
She confirmed that the car was seized by police and has now been returned to its rightful owner.
The judge, Recorder Ciaran Rankin described the driving as "thoroughly appalling" and said he watched the dash cam footage "with incredulity".
"It is astonishing you didn't hit any pedestrians," he added.
"You're fortunate you did not kill anyone or yourself."
Recorder Rankin jailed Bates for nine months and banned him from driving for 18 months. He will have to complete an extended driving test at the end of the ban.
