A rugby player who drove through Workington chased by police has been banned from the road for 15 months.

Ricky Holt, 25, of Mill Street, Maryport, who admitted dangerous driving, was going so fast that police at one point were doing 80mph, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

David Thompson, for Holt, said there was no evidence that his client's driving – which took his car through the Northside area of the town - had put other road users at risk.

“It wasn't prolonged,” said the lawyer.

A working man, with one child to a previous partner, the defendant is a skilled rugby player with two teams: Maryport ARL and Silloth Tigers rugby union.

Passing sentence, Judge Tony Lancaster said that the essence of Holt's offence had been his driving through a built-up area too quickly, at times on the wrong side of the road.

At the time, in the car with him was his girlfriend.

Both she and the defendant's mother were in court for the hearing.

The judge said: “Potentially, your passenger was also put at risk but thankfully nothing untoward happened. There was no accident.”

The judge said that while the defendant's speed was excessive, it had not been consistently excessive and nor was the pursuit long in its duration.

At the time, Holt was not authorised to drive and had no insurance. Having considered the facts, the judge said that he felt a prison sentence was not justified.

As well as imposing the disqualification, Judge Lancaster stipulated that Holt must if he wants to drive again sit an extended re-test.

He imposed a 12 month community order, with a requirement that the defendant complete a 35 day activity requirement.

Holt must also observe an eight week 9pm to 7am curfew, which will be electronically monitored.

The court was told that Holt may in the near future be moving to Manchester but in the meantime he was living with his parents.