A banned driver was involved in a car chase through Braintree at speeds of up to 100 mph.

Police lost sight of Nigel Gribbin during the incident, but a court heard yesterday when officers caught up with him he told them: "I'll just pull forward a little bit."

Instead, he sped off, and there was another chase around the town until Gribbin pulled into a cul-de-sac and hit another car, causing £1,328 of damage.

He ran off but police caught him later, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Gribbin, 24, of Fairfield Road, Braintree, admitted charges of driving while banned, dangerous driving and having no insurance.

Recorder Robin Purchas QC jailed him for 16 months, banned him from driving for three years and told him to take an extended driving test.

"It's only by the grace of God there wasn't injury, or worse, loss of life," the judge told Gribbin.

Alan Compton, prosecuting, said the chase began on May 20 this year when police saw Gribbin behind the wheel of a Ford Escort.

They knew he had been banned and followed him, but he accelerated away and there was a chase around the town at speeds of up to 100 mph, Mr Compton said.

Andrew Jackson, mitigating, said Gribbin was "a feckless young man" who was addicted to drugs.

He was due for a fix of heroin that day but because there was no-one to take him where he needed to go, he decided to drive to Colchester to get the drug. When he saw police, he panicked, Mr Jackson said.

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