A Carlisle teenager reversed into a police vehicle while trying to escape capture and hit almost twice the 30mph speed limit on residential roads.

Ben Hull, 19, initially came to the attention of a PC on mobile patrol because his Ford Mondeo had no lights on at dusk on August 18.

But as the officer turned on Orton Road and followed, Hull stopped to let a passenger out before accelerating away despite blue lights and sirens being activated.

Hull hit 54mph on residential roads lined with trees and other parked vehicles, failing to give way and motoring over speed humps in the Raffles area.

Prosecutor Gerard Rogerson told Carlisle Crown Court the Mondeo stopped at a junction.

“The vehicle was put into reverse and reversed a short distance into collision with the PC’s vehicle,” he said.

Dashcam footage from the officer’s vehicle – which sustained £8,000 damage – showed him losing sight of the Mondeo, which crashed into a parked car which was shunted forward five metres.

Despite being blocked in, Hull still tried to get away and had to be Tasered before being brought under control.

He was taken to hospital and made the comment: “I have a sore neck. I was doing like 60 when I hit that car.”

Hull, previously of Lowther Street, Carlisle, admitted dangerous driving, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and no insurance.

The court heard his offence occurred five months after he was released from youth detention having received a two-year sentence for grievous bodily harm with intent.

Timothy Ashmole, defending, said the teen had dealt with drug-taking and mental health issues while in custody. “He wishes to get his life in order,” said Mr Ashmole. “He is fed up with committing offences and fed up with being incarcerated.”

But Judge Guy Mathieson, having read a probation service pre-sentence report, observed Hull 'seems to have given up and embarked on a life of crime'.

“Frankly at your age that relates to a life of failure,” said Judge Mathieson, who locked him up for nine months. “The driving on this occasion was breathtakingly dangerous. It is a miracle that nobody else was injured and that includes you, significantly.”

The judge added of the teen’s criminal past: “It is a shocking catalogue, Mr Hull, of someone who, as I say, has given up and doesn’t care what he does or the impact on other people.”

Hull must serve a 12-month driving ban when released from detention.