TWICE William Loveridge led police on a chase. He got away the first time after officers pursued him through Shortstown near Bedford, jumping out of the scruffy Peugeot car he had been driving and making off on foot The second time he was in his home town

TWICE William Loveridge led police on a chase.

He got away the first time after officers pursued him through Shortstown near Bedford, jumping out of the scruffy Peugeot car he had been driving and making off on foot

The second time he was in his home town of Letchworth GC and riding a stolen motorcycle.

Luton Crown Court heard last Thursday how in an attempt to shake police off his tail, he rode up onto a pavement in Monklands forcing pedestrians to jump into gardens and through hedges to get out of his way.

Loveridge, 25, who lives in Monklands, pleaded guilty to two charges of dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and without insurance.

Kevin Barry, prosecuting, said it was just after 9pm on March 23 when police officers in a patrol car in Shortstown saw the defendant coming towards them in the Peugeot.

The police driver wound his window down indicating that Loveridge, who he recognised, should stop but instead he accelerated and drove between the police car and a parked vehicle scraping both in the process.

Judge Richard Foster heard it was the start of a chase which ended when Loveridge mounted the kerb of a pavement and drove down a grassy bank and across a football pitch.

The officers later found the car abandoned and no sign of Loveridge.

He was not located until the afternoon of June 8 when police attention was drawn to a motorcyclist on a machine with false plates riding through Letchworth GC.

They followed the bike and it was then that the rider mounted the pavement in Monklands reaching speeds of between 30 and 40mph and scattering pedestrians.

The court heard that in Icknield Way the rider drove into the grounds of a school.

Police went after him and found Loveridge minutes later hiding under a hedge.

Mr Barry said it was discovered that the bike had been stolen a week earlier.

Judge Foster was told Loveridge had chalked up 12 convictions, many for driving matters including dangerous driving

Mustapha Hakme, defending, said problems with drugs lay behind much of the defendant's offending.

Judge Foster sentenced Loveridge to an 18-month community order during which he will be subject to a drug rehabilitation requirement order giving him the chance to get the help he needs to tackle his problem.

In addition he will be subject to a six-month curfew to be at his home every night between the hours of 7pm and 6am.

He was also disqualified from driving for two years.