A HEROIN addict who ploughed his car into a gate and a lamppost during a high speed police chase on Dudley's by-pass has been locked up for 14 months.

Artaf Hussain, aged 28, was banned from getting behind the wheel of any vehicle at the time of the pursuit having been disqualified from driving on two previous occasions.

Judge John Warner told Hussain that during the chase he had repeatedly turned off the lights on his vehicle in a bid to get away from the police officers.

He said Hussain had hit speeds well in excess of 50mph before colliding with the gate and lamp and after his arrest he had then pretended he was not the driver.

Hussain of Slater Street, Tipton, had denied driving dangerously and while disqualified by he was found guilty by a jury after they retired to consider the evidence at the end of his trial.

The judge said it was serious offending that could only be met with a sentence of immediate custody as he further banned Hussain from the roads for two years.

Brett Wilson defending told Wolverhampton Crown Court that Hussain had been using heroin before the chase and that had affected his thinking and his judgement.

But while being held in custody the restaurant worker who had dreams of becoming a chef had "sobered" up and he was now free of controlled drugs.

Mr Wilson said Hussain who worked at Spiceland had a "dreadful" heroin addiction and he accepted he had a history of offending.