A HIGH-SPEED police chase in the early hours of the morning ended with the driver avoiding a prison sentence, at Bristol Crown Court.

Samuel Dawson, aged 21, pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle dangerously, failing to stop when required by police and driving without insurance on Monday.

Dawson, who lived in Exbourne in Worle and is now living on a farm in St Austell, Cornwall, jumped a red light at 4.15am on April 11 while driving a yellow Polo in Weston.

The traffic crime appeared on a CCTV log and an officer spotted the car coming towards him.

The policeman made a quick turnaround and was in pursuit of the car, while it was travelling at 60mph in Uphill Road North - a 30mph zone.

The Polo then went up onto a kerb and the driver fled, running over the bonnet of the police car and then back towards town.

The officer followed him with a police dog amd shouted at him to stop, however Dawson continued to run.

The police dog was then released and detained Dawson.

He was arrested at about 4.36am.

Dawson was sentenced to eight months in jail, suspended for two years.

He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work.

Dawson was also disqualified from driving for two years, which was effective from the date of Dawson’s first hearing on June 16.

He must take an extended driving test at the end of that period.