Man jailed over two high-speed chases through Nottinghamshire

A burglar who led police on two high-speed chases has been jailed for a string of offences.

James Clarke was clocked driving 60 mph (97km/h) through Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, in a stolen white Audi after attempting to flee officers.

Weeks later, police detained him a second time after chasing him through Mansfield in another stolen car.

Clarke, 42, was jailed for three years and banned from driving for 30 months at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday.

James Clarke, 42, twice tried to outrun officers

On 17 June, Clarke, of no fixed abode, led police through Kirkby-in-Ashfield after officers received information he was wanted in relation to burglaries in Derbyshire.

During the five-minute pursuit, he hurtled over speed bumps, weaved in and out of traffic at high speeds and went through a red light causing other vehicles to swerve.

He abandoned the white Audi in Ravenshead, and was detained by officers as he tried to scale a fence.

'Mindless'

He was arrested and bailed before being detained again five weeks later on 25 July.

This time, the occupants of a house in Mansfield rang 999 after seeing an intruder drive off in their car, also a white Audi.

In a bid to escape police, he reversed the car into parked cars and a garden wall, before getting out and running down the street.

He was arrested, and a stolen iPad and handbag were found in the car.

Clarke pleaded guilty to burglary, two counts of dangerous driving and on count of aggravated vehicle taking.

Following the sentencing, Det Con David Smith said: "Clarke's mindless behaviour could have had fatal consequences."