Police in four counties caught Darren Bell driving in defiance of a ban, in just over a month, a court heard yesterday.

Bell, 26, had been arrested in North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Cleveland and Lancashire - on one occasion after he skidded into a wall on a country lane after an 80mph chase - Sarah Tyrer, prosecuting, told Harrogate magistrates.

Bell, of Century Walk, Harrogate, pleaded guilty to four counts of driving while banned.

He also admitted fourcounts of not having insurance, two each of aggravated vehicle taking and obstructing police and single charges of theft, taking a vehicle without consent and failing to answer bail.

Mrs Tyrer said Bell had first been arrested on August 1 driving a Vauxhall Cavalier, stolen from Harrogate and filled with £40.61 worth of petrol at Quarry Moor, Ripon, for which no payment was made. It had crashed near Ilkley. Bell was arrested nearby.

On August 13, a Vauxhall Astra, stolen from Harewood Road, Harrogate, was stopped in Middlesbrough Road, South Bank. Bell was at the wheel but gave police a false name and address.

Two days later, a police patrol near the Menwith Hill base spotted another Astra, stolen from Swan Road, Harrogate, and it sped off before skidding into a wall near Dob Park.

Mrs Tyrer said that on September 7, police at Blackpool were alerted to a Bedford van on the M55 which had been stolen from Chatsworth Road, Harrogate. Again, Bell gave a false name and address.

In mitigation, Clive Farndon said Bell's crimes were committed when his judgement was impaired by drug abuse.

He was made subject to a 12-month drug treatment and testing order, banned from the roads for 30 months and told to take another driving test. He was also fined £150 and ordered to pay costs of £208.