A NEWPORT man who drove a motorcycle the wrong way along a one-way street, and onto a pavement causing a pedestrian to take evasive action, is beginning a 14-month jail sentence.

Leighton Price, 28, took the motorcycle at 9.45am on January 10 this year, from a friend who left it idling outside his house to warm up.

Newport Crown Court was told the bike was immediately reported stolen and half an hour later police spotted it in the Caerleon Road area and gave chase in their patrol car.

Prosecuting, Mr David Webster said Price sped away, going up Morden Road despite the no entry signs.

When the police attempted to intercept him on Caerleon Road, he mounted the kerb near shops, "causing a pedestrian to have to move out of the way." Officers then decided to abandon their pursuit, considering it too dangerous.

Price was arrested two weeks later in Fairoak Avenue, Maindee, Newport, after police officers spotted the motorcycle parked up.

Price appeared, ran off and was arrested after a chase. A bag of drugs was found in his possession that contained less than half a gram of heroin, diazepam tablets, and buprenorphine, which helps ease heroin withdrawal symptoms.

Price said the drugs were for his own use, but he would have shared them if asked.

Judge Rhys Rowlands was told that at the time of the offence, Price was disqualified from driving for three years.

He was also told Price had taken steps to return the motorcycle to its owner and was seen with him on the occasion he was arrested.

Price was jailed for eight months for dangerous driving, four months for driving whilst disqualified, and two months for breaching a conditional discharge for a previous offence, a total of 14 months. For possessing heroin with intent to supply, he received a concurrent four-month sentence.