A TEENAGE driver with a pregnant passenger led police on a high speed chase through Worcester which had to be abandoned because of the risk to schoolchildren.

Harry Milton-Hossak was told by a judge he had escaped jail by the skin of his teeth after police dashcam footage of the pursuit was played at Worcester Crown Court on Friday.

The 19-year-old has a string of previous convictions including burglary, battery, theft, sending threatening messages, harassment, witness intimidation, being in possession of a bladed article, taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, failing to stop, driving without a licence and failing to comply with a community order.

Despite his record he has yet to serve a custodial sentence and once again managed to avoid prison.

Milton-Hossak, of Vicarage Court, Worcester, had already admitted dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and using a car without third party insurance following the chase on September 5 last year.

The pursuit began at 3.03pm when Milton-Hossak drove his brother's Nissan Almera at speed past a uniformed officer who was parked in Tunnel Hill in an unmarked car.

Milton-Hossak, previously of Rectory Road in Upton-upon-Severn, was less than two months into a driving ban and the Nissan contained two passengers, one of whom believed herself to be pregnant at the time and asked the defendant to stop.

John Brotherton, prosecuting, said the officer turned on his blue lights and sirens to get Milton-Hossak to stop but he refused, turning instead into Linden Road at ‘excessive speed’.

From there he continued into Highland Road and towards the junction with Tunnel Hill.

Footage of the six minute chase was played which showed the driver contravening road signs, driving on the wrong side of the road, speeding through residential streets and driving at speed towards an oncoming van which was forced to brake.

At one stage he can be seen driving straight out of a junction on the wrong side of the road without checking the way is clear.

The footage also shows him overtaking a queue of cars as he speeds towards the New Chequers Inn, driving along Astwood Road and narrowly missing other cars before he heads onto Bilford Road.

Mr Brotherton said the officer decided to end the pursuit because there was a school in Bilford Road. However, the defendant was later seen on foot at 3.15pm that day by the same officer in Old Northwick Lane who shouted at him to stop.

Milton-Hossak instead ran towards the river.

Mr Brotherton said: “The officer became aware of the Almera which appeared to have been driven into some bushes and abandoned. The defendant made good his escape.”

He was arrested on January 28 this year on an unrelated matter where he admitted the driving offences in interview.

Mr Brotherton said: “He said he panicked when he saw the police vehicle and put his foot down. He hadn’t wanted to be arrested. He accepted his driving was dangerous and said he was sorry for his actions.”

Milton-Hossak was banned from driving for eight months on July 19 last year for taking a car without the owner’s consent, failing to stop and driving without a licence.

Mr Brotherton said: “There were passengers in the car and he disregarded the warnings of others. It’s said one of those passengers was telling him to stop. She believed she was pregnant. That was her concern at that point.”

Jason Aris, defending, said his client had made full and frank admissions in interview and entered a guilty plea at the first opportunity.

“He’s a young lad who has an awful lot of growing up to do,” said Mr Aris.

He said his client now had stable accommodation in Worcester in a ‘studio flat’.

Mr Aris told the court his client had ADHD and got bored very quickly and would benefit from structure and guidance in his life and that he was now showing ‘some signs of maturity’.

He added that Milton-Hossak was ‘scared’ about being made to serve a 20-week prison sentence which was suspended when he was sentenced for offences prior to the driving charges.

“I would invite your honour to take a chance on this young man and suspend any sentence of imprisonment with rather rigorous conditions,” said Mr Aris.

Recorder Robert Spencer-Bernard said: “Shortly after 3pm you were approaching a school. The video from the police car shows the children standing on the pavements.”

The judge said there had been a minor collision between the Almera and a Honda during the pursuit.

He said: “You are 19. I’m very hesitant about imposing any immediate custody. You have escaped it by the skin of your teeth."

The recorder sentenced him to 12 months in a Young Offender Institution suspended for 15 months. He was disqualified from driving for 30 months.

Milton-Hossak must complete a mandatory extended driving retest. He was also ordered to do 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 240 hours of unpaid work.

No costs or compensation were ordered because the defendant had ‘no means’.