A BANNED driver who got behind the wheel and ended up crashing has been sentenced to "weekend jail".

Peter Blyth's girlfriend and a taxi driver were injured in the collision at Blackburn.

He had refused to stop for police when required and drove off, turning the car lights off at one point.

Blyth, 43, of Revidge Road, Blackburn, was sentenced to 90 days in prison, to be served at weekends over 51 weeks. He was banned for 18 months and ordered to pay £150 compensation to the taxi driver.

He had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, not having insurance and failing to stop after an accident.

The offences dated to June last year when police decided to stop an Audi car, being driven by Blyth in the early hours in the town centre.

David Macro, prosecuting, said the defendant did not stop for police.

He said he went through a red light on Preston New Road and its speed rapidly went up to 50mph.

Blyth turned off the car's lights. He overtook vehicles, causing oncoming traffic to brake sharply in order to avoid collisions.

He also failed to give way on a mini-roundabout and turned into Revidge Road, the court was told.

An officer lost sight of the vehicle until it had hit the back of a Toyota vehicle, the court was told. A taxi driver in the other vehicle was injured to his right leg and some teeth, the court heard.

The defendant's girlfriend was lying in long grass nearby. It turned out that she had a shattered arm that needed five plates inserted.

Blyth initially said his girlfriend had given him the keys to the car and he "went for it" on seeing the police.

Sentencing, Judge Angela Nield told Blyth: "People who drive in the circumstances in which you chose to drive present a risk, not only to themselves, but to other road users. The consequences could have been a great deal worse.

"It is only by good fortune rather than by good management that it was not more of a disaster."