A tearaway driver has been banned after he almost mowed down a female pedestrian during a high speed police chase.

Michael Foskett tried to outrun the police after they tried to stop him in the centre of Newton Abbot for having no insurance.

A woman pedestrian was forced to leap out of his way on a crossing as Foskett jumped red lights, drove on the wrong side of the road and hit two cars.

Foskett, aged 21, formerly of Buckfast Road, Buckfastleigh, but now homeless and living in Newton Abbot, admitted dangerous driving and was jailed for four months, suspended for two years and ordered to do 100 hours’ unpaid community work.

He was also banned from driving for two years, ordered to take an extended retest, and sent on rehabilitation and thinking skills courses by Recorder Mr Richard Stead at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him: "The driving in which you indulged was appalling. I think you recognise that now. You drove at exceptionally high speed at 11.45 am through Newton Abbot at a time when the roads were very busy.

"You collided with two vehicles and caused a woman to have to leap out of the way when you swerved your car towards her. It was a truly appalling piece of driving."

Julian Kesner, prosecuting, said police tried to stop Foskett’s BMW in Kingsteignton Road, Newton Abbot, on November 26 because he had no insurance.

He set off at speed to try to escape and went through red lights, drove on the wrong side of the road, and hit the wing mirrors of two passing cars during the ensuing chase through Highweek Street and Ashburton Road.

He almost hit the pedestrian as he lost control on a corner and the chase only ended when the pursuing police car rammed his BMW.

Martin Salloway, mitigating, said the incident happened when Foskett’s life was in disarray and he was effectively homeless.

He said he is so determined to change his way of life that he walked from Newton Abbot to Torquay and back again to attend a meeting with the probation service.

He said: ’He needs to get somewhere to live and needs to find work. A thinking skills course will help ensure he reacts differently in the future.’