A Wotton-under-Edge man has been jailed for 10 months for dangerous high speed driving while under the influence of drugs.

Ashley Lusty, 34, of Bearlands, was driving a Renault Clio on the A38 in Gloucestershire on January 27 this year when he led police on a six mile chase.

The patrol car reached speeds as high as 138mph while trying to catch up with Lusty, said Ian Fenny, prosecuting at Gloucester crown court on October 16.

He told the court that despite those speeds the officers were unable to get close enough to Lusty until the final moments of the pursuit, during which time he had exceeded a number of speed limits and gone through at least one red traffic light.

When he was arrested and tested he was found to have a constituent of cannabis in his body above the legal permitted level for driving.

Defending, Charlotte Surley explained that Lusty was driving late at night because he was suffering from anxiety.

“Two years ago Lusty was working as a mechanic, it was his dream job." she said.

“His car was his pride and joy and because of his obsessive compulsive disorder he had painted every nut and bolt in the vehicle.

“While working he developed a back problem and this forced him to quit his job. He then developed a cocaine habit.

“At the time of this offence his partner had left him but he allowed her to have the car so she could get to work.

“When he demanded the vehicle back, he went to get it late at night, overlooking the fact that his insurance on the vehicle had expired.

“And during the journey back, he was focused on getting home as soon as possible. He became totally focused, with tunnel vision in getting home, ignoring police requests to stop.”

Judge Michael Cullum said to Lusty: “You were travelling at a greater speed than the police officers. The police vehicle was travelling at speeds in excess of 100mph.

"They will have had specialist driver training and were displaying the blue lights at the dead of night, clearly demonstrating that they were approaching.

“You clearly did not have this. For good part of the six-mile pursuit the police were driving at speeds of over 120mph and on one occasion reaching up to 138mph. You were driving in a way with no regard to any of the road markings, road conditions or traffic lights.

“This was utterly reckless by you, a deliberate course of driving just to get away.

“You had been taking drugs and being a mechanic you knew you were not insured. You shouldn’t have been in the vehicle at all. You were three times over the legal limit for cannabis.

“In my judgement, driving for six miles knowing you were being pursued by police, the risk to life to other people and to yourself, there can only be an immediate custodial sentence.”

The judge sentenced Lusty to 10 months in prison, disqualified him from driving for 23 months and ordered him to take an extended driving test.

The judge also ordered for the seizure of the vehicle and for Lusty to pay a victim surcharge.

Lusty had admitted charges of dangerous driving, having no insurance, and driving while over the legal limit for cannabis.