A MOTORCYCLIST who led police on an 18-mile road chase through the county reaching speeds of 100mph has been jailed.

Shay Knox jumped red lights as he drove through Hereford and narrowly missed pedestrians after driving up a cycle path to escape officers.

The 20-year-old was arrested on the A438 near Letton after running out of petrol, bringing to an end a chase that had seen him pursued by a police helicopter.

Hereford Crown Court heard how Knox, who had a passenger riding pillion, was flagged down by police in the Hampton Park area of the city just before 7.30pm on July 3 last year, but refused to stop and sped off in the direction of Bartonsham.

Having raced through Harold Street and St Owen Street on his 20-year-old Suzuki, he then made his way across the city, jumping red lights, and onto the Rotherwas Access Road where his speed was clocked at 100mph.

Stephen Davies, prosecuting, said Knox escaped up a cycle path forcing officers to wait at his Westfaling Street home.

Moments later he approached his house, without his passenger, but on seeing the police fled up the Brecon road prompting a police helicopter to be scrambled to track his movements.

The court was shown images shot from the helicopter which showed him overtaking vehicles across double white lines until his fuel ran out.

He admitted one charge of dangerous driving and another of driving without insurance.

Charles Hamer, defending, said that motorcycles were Knox’s passion.

He said it was his intention to move away from Hereford once released from prison to make “a fresh start”.

Sentencing him to 12 months behind bars, Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC said it was a particularly bad case of dangerous driving.

He also banned him from driving for two years and ordered him to take an extended test before being allowed back on the road.

No separate penalty was issued for having no insurance.