A DANGEROUS drink driver who crashed into a police car and flouted a driving ban is now behind bars.

Nathan Parmar broke the speed limit, ignored no entry signs and crashed into a marked police car during the short chase in Evesham.

The 28-year-old admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, drink driving and driving without insurance when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday.

The court heard how Parmar of Avon Street, Evesham, was driving a Fiat van, which police believed may be stolen, towards Evesham at around 11pm on January 24 this year.

Michael Conry, prosecuting, said the defendant turned into Tesco in the town and stopped.

He said: “Officers started to get out of the car. The defendant suddenly drove off, striking the front near side of the marked police car.”

From there he drove along Worcester Road in Evesham, driving at 40mph in a 30mph road, driving on two occasions through no entry signs.

When arrested the lowest of the two alcohol readings was 54mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, above the legal limit of 35mcg.

Mr Conry added: “The defendant in interview admitted he had had a couple of drinks and also knew he was disqualified. He panicked when he saw police and tried to get away. He disputed he was exceeding the speed limit.”

Mr Conry described him as having a ‘bad driving record’, appearing first before the court in 2012 for aggravated vehicle taking for which he received a 14 week prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

There was then a gap of five years until he was convicted in 2017 of driving with excess alcohol and was disqualified from driving for three years. He was jailed at the end of 2017 for drink driving and driving without insurance.

He also has a conviction for failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis.

Christopher Loach, for Parmar, said: “The defendant realises the seriousness of his position, how badly he has let himself down.”

He said his client was realistic about the prospect of an immediate custodial sentence and had pleaded guilty on the first occasion before the crown court. The judge agreed he should be given full credit for his plea.

Mr Loach said there were aggravating features in his client’s history but stressed that the aggravated vehicle taking matter had involved his mother’s car rather than ‘an unknown third party’.

He told the court his client had been working as a builder at the time of the most recent offences and he had the opportunity to take the van, a works vehicle, used by his work partner.

Mr Loach said Parmar had been celebrating his girlfriend getting a job and foolishly took the van and had been followed for ‘an exceptionally short distance’ by police.

“Although there are speeds in excess of the speed limit, it’s not one of those cases where vastly excessive speeds were reached” said Mr Loach.

Judge Jim Tindal said: “You are a young man who seems unable to stop yourself from driving despite having committed a number of increasingly serious driving offences in your young life.”

Parmar was jailed for 12 months and banned from driving for five years. This ban was extended by six months so it will begin when he is released from prison after serving half his prison sentence.

Parmar, who was supported at court by his father, must also complete an extended driving retest.