A DRUG driver who had cocaine in his system when he led police on a high speed chase through the Gwent valleys has been jailed.

A judge described Ashley Pritchard’s actions as “diabolical” as he took officers on a 16-mile pursuit while reaching speeds of up to 70mph in built-up areas.

Prosecutor Jeffrey Jones told Newport Crown Court how the 25-year-old defendant was three times over the legal limit after smoking cannabis and had traces of cocaine in his system.

He first fled officers in Gilfach before taking them on a chase through Bargoed, Aberbargoed, Cefn Fforest and back again in March.

Pritchard pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving when under the influence of a controlled drug, driving without insurance, driving with no licence and failing to stop for a police officer.

The defendant’s barrister Hashim Salmman, mitigating, urged the judge, Recorder Patrick Harrington QC to pass a suspended jail sentence.

His reasoning for this was that Pritchard had entered a “timely guilty plea”, his young age and his previous good character because he only had one previous conviction for a public order offence in 2016.

Mr Salmann said his client was trying to turn his life around and had recently achieved the equivalent of an A-level in English Literature and was one day hoping to start his own business.

His barrister said Prichard’s partner, who was in court to support him, was pregnant and expecting twins in October.

The defendant, Mr Salmann added, had suffered a difficult childhood and his father was a heroin addict.

But the judge condemned his actions and said he would be failing in his public duty if he did not send the defendant to prison.

Pritchard, of Susannah Place, Treharris, was jailed for 12 months, banned from driving for three years and told he must sit an extended driving test.