A JAILED disqualified driver who led police on a high speed chase boasted to them he would have “smoked them if he had been in a better car”.

Ashton Jones was only stopped after officers used a stinger to shred the tyres of his Volkswagen Golf during the pursuit through Newport, the city’s crown court heard.

Prosecutor Owen Williams said the defendant was spotted by a patrol who found out he was banned after carrying out a registration check.

He said Jones then tore through the 30mph residential area of Chepstow Road at 70mph after police put their blue lights on.

The 22-year-old, of no fixed abode, then sped along the A48 Southern Distributor Road in his Golf while 30mph over the speed limit.

At one stage Jones went around a roundabout the wrong way during the chase which took place at around 3pm on Sunday, October 14.

Along the way he had a minor crash with another police car on Royal Oak Drive before the stinger was used in Ringland Way after other officers had joined the hunt.

After his Golf was brought to a halt, Jones darted from his car, climbed over a police vehicle’s bonnet, jumped over a fence and escaped only to be arrested shortly after.

Judge Tom Crowther QC was told that the defendant had a woman passenger who also fled but was also soon held by police. She was carrying a bag with a knuckleduster inside.

Jones admitted this was his, Mr Williams said, and added that the five-mile pursuit had lasted eight minutes.

The prosecutor told the court how the defendant had told a police officer at the station: “You smashed it up when you drove into me love. If I had been in a better car, I would have smoked you.”

Jones admitted dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, failing to stop for a police officer, driving without insurance and possessing an offensive weapon.

Scott Bowen, mitigating, said his client was remorseful for what he had done and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He added: “He knows he risked the safety of himself, his passenger and other road users.”

Judge Crowther jailed him for a total of 12 months and banned him from driving for two years and five months.