A CAR chase from Sherston to Tetbury took place because a man wanted to drop his dog home before he was arrested, a court was told.

Former Malmesbury resident Sam Whitehead sped away from officers who were answering another call, rather than pull over and let them pass on the B4040 near Sherston.

He then led police on a half hour long chase across the countryside around Tetbury with two patrol cars and a helicopter in hot pursuit.

The 23-year-old was stopped in Malmesbury when officers deployed a stinger device across the road and the driver handed himself over.

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court officers were attending another incident at 10.40pm on January 5 this year.

"For some period when they came upon Mr Whitehead's vehicle they were showing their blue lights," she said.

"They noticed Mr Whitehead's vehicle speed up and pull away rather than slow down with a marked police vehicle coming up behind and they proceeded to follow it."

She said during the chase the Astra went over a blind junction on the road between Shipton Moyne and Sherston without stopping.

Although the car never reached excessive speed it refused to stop on the country road before entering Malmesbury.

Mr Whitehead went the wrong way along Mill Lane and stopped before crossing the stinger device that had been laid out.

Whitehead, formerly of Avenue de Gien, Malmesbury, but now of Forest Green, Stroud, admitted dangerous driving, failing to stop, no insurance and possessing half a gram of cannabis.

The court heard he had other driving convictions including aggravated taking without consent.

Robert Morgan-Jones, defending, said "In terms of dangerous driving, in my submission, it is not the classic case."

He said that in between the dangerous manoeuvres he was not going at excessive speed, often staying between 30mph and 40mph.

"He was worried about stopping for the police because he had no insurance. He had a dog with him, he was worried about being stopped because he knew he would be arrested.

"He put his foot down, then thought the better of it. He was then going home to drop off his dog before he was going to be arrested."

Passing sentence Recorder Patrick Clarkson QC said "I consider it inevitable that there be a custodial sentence."

He jailed him for six months and banned him from the road for two years.