A teenage motorist who led police on a high-speed chase through a housing estate has been given a suspended jail sentence.

A judge sitting at Carlisle Crown Court told 18-year-old Christie Bell that he could easily have killed somebody as he drove at high-speed through Harraby, Carlisle, on July 8.

The teenager, of Warnell Drive, Harraby, admitted dangerous driving.

Prosecutor Gerard Rogerson outlined how two police officers in their patrol vehicle spotted the defendant in a Vauxhall Vectra which they wanted to investigate, so they turned their car round.

As they did so, the Vauxhall sped off, pursued by the police car.

Mr Rogerson then described how the teenager sped along London Road, overtaking a line of six queuing cars as he went through a red traffic light and took a sharp right turn on to Cumwhinton Road.

He was driving on the wrong side of the road at about 50mph – in an area where the speed limit was 30mph.

In the minutes that followed, Bell effectively did two laps of the Harraby estate, taking corners so fast that at times the car appeared to be driving on two wheels, said Mr Rogerson.

He sped along Meadow View as children played nearby on grass verges, while on Cumwhinton Avenue his driving forced one motorist to take evasive action to avoid an accident.

At another point, he drove along a grass verge to effectively “undertake” a car that was in his way.

The roads he was seen speeding along included Crossways, Hillary Grove, Edgehill Road, Brantwood Avenue, and Cresswell Avenue.

The pursuit came to an end as the teenager got out of his Vauxhall in Creswell Avenue, opening his door as the car rolled into a nearby steel gatepost.

“He then scuttled over the bonnet of the police vehicle before running off,” said Mr Rogerson.

“Both he and his passenger were soon detained.

“Bell was found hiding in a bush.

“When he came out, he said to the officer: 'I know: I was driving like an idiot.'”

Mr Rogerson said local residents who saw the teenager's driving had been infuriated and one told Bell that if he had killed one of his grandchildren he would have done the same to the defendant.

Asked why he had driven as he had, Bell had no explanation. He simply said he had bought the car a few nights previously for cash.

Alexander Rostron, for Bell, said there was one simply explanation for his client's drivng: “Stupidity.”

He added: “He realised he had no licence and he was being egged on by the man in the car. It was a huge error of judgement.”

A Probation Service worker in court said Bell was genuinely remorseful.

His key concern, she said, was the impact of the potential jail sentence on his mother, who suffers depression.

Imposing a six month in a young offenders' institution, suspended for 18 months, Judge Hughes told Bell: “This wasn't simply base idiocy. It was a piece of extremely dangerous driving. I can well understand why people living in the area, who must have seen or heard screaming round those streets, reacted as they did.

“You could so easily have killed someone. They felt your conduct was totally out of order.”

In addition, Bell must sit an extended retest before he drives again and for the next 12 weeks observe an 8pm to 6am curfew, do 120 hours of unpaid work and pay prosecution costs of £340.