A NEWPORT teen has been given an eight-month detention order after being involved in a high-speed chase with the police around the city.

At Newport Crown Court, Spencer Killoran, 19, pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous driving, one count of driving with no licence, and one count of driving without insurance.

The court heard how Killoran, of Somerton Park, borrowed a Volkswagen Golf for £100 from a friend who was learning to drive, saying he wanted to go for “a spin”.

In the early hours of Saturday, March 15 this year, a marked police car was alerted after the Golf failed to stop at a traffic light on the A48 Southern Distributor Road in Newport.

Killoran was then chased by the marked car, which was joined by another police car, as he continued along the B4239, eventually reaching Bassaleg Road at speeds of 60mph in a 30mph area.

He continued along Western Valley Road, Tregwilym Road and Chartist Drive, at one point reaching speeds in excess of 71mph and driving in the middle of the road.

The court heard how Killoran, having eventually been cornered, reversed into a police car causing damage to both cars, and drove off towards the roundabout in the wrong direction.

Killoran then reached a dead end on Tregwilym Road but did not stop until he drove into a tree after mounting the pavement. When police officers approached the Golf – its wheels still turning – Killoran was seen with his foot on the accelerator pedal and did not release until he was sprayed in the face by an officer.

A woman was also in the car at the time of the chase, although she was cautioned by police, she was not charged.

Gareth Williams, defending, said: “Very little meaningful mitigation can be put forward. The defendant said he panicked – he realised he did not have a licence. He made a serious error of judgement by trying to drive away from the police car.”

Judge John Jenkins QC said: “This was an appalling piece of driving. You showed selfish disregard and you are a menace on the road.

“It’s purely by good fortune that no-one was killed. You could have easily been sitting in that dock today listening to how lives were ruined by your actions.”

Judge Jenkins QC sentenced Killoran to serve eight months in a young offenders’ institution and told him to pay a statutory surcharge of £100.