A teenager who reached speeds in excess of 120 mph as he attempted to flee the police was driving on a bald tyre told he could have killed someone.

Joel Hutchinson was spotted by police as he headed towards Hartlepool on the A19 after colleagues had earlier tried to stop him.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the pursuing officers had to drive at 133mph at one point to try and close the gap on the teenager as he raced through junctions as he travelled towards a built-up area in his Renault Clio.

Nigel Soppitt, prosecuting, said: “Speeds of 85mph in a 40mph limit were recorded initially. The road then travels towards Hartlepool through Newton Bewley where the limit is 50mph, he is clocked at 120mph at that time.

“The pursuing vehicle reaches speeds of 133mph in an attempt to catch the defendant.

“Other vehicles were on the roads and an ambulance was overtaken at one point; the defendant narrowly missed another vehicle as he approached the built-up area at speed.

“The defendant lost control and crashed the vehicle. At this point he got out and was extremely obstructive to police officers.

“Ironically, the ambulance he had overtaken before had the courtesy to stop and see if there was any assistance they could offer.”

The A689 through Newton Bewley, near HartlepoolThe A689 through Newton Bewley, near Hartlepool (Image: Google)

Hutchinson, of Lincoln Crescent, Billingham, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and obstructing a police officer during his arrest on June 26 this year.

Kelleigh Lodge, mitigating, said: “This is his first conviction and he pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He does fully understand the seriousness of the offence.”

Judge Jonathan Carroll told the teenager he could have killed himself or an innocent person due to state of his driving and the condition of his car.

“The motor vehicle was entirely unfit to be on the road, the tyre was almost completely bald. It wouldn’t be safe to drive at slow speeds, it was certainly not safe to drive at grossly excessive speeds,” he said.

“The pursuit lasted for around three minutes and it is one of the worst I have seen in terms of speed.”

Passing a 14-month prison sentence suspended for two years, he added: “You were not alone in that vehicle, you had your girlfriend, so you were not just risking your life.

“If you had crashed at that speed, make no mistake, you would be dead.

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“You were also risking your girlfriend’s life, if you had crashed, she would have been dead.”

He added: “Whatever your reason for going out that night, it was not worth the risk of your death, your girlfriend’s death or the death of any other member of the public.”

Hutchinson was ordered to attend 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and was placed on a curfew between 8pm and 8am.

He was banned from driving for three years.