A WHITE van man with a ‘dreadful driving record’ sparked a police chase in a residential area of Accrington, a court heard.

Jobless ex-drug addict Anthony Stott, 35, went through a red traffic light and over a give-way junction without stopping.

He was speeding in the 30mph zone and officers didn’t catch up with him.

Stott, also said to have a bad record for breaching bail, repeatedly failed to turn up at court.

Three months ago he had been locked up by magistrates for flouting his bail five times, Burnley Crown Court was told.

The defendant, for-merly of Regent Street, Brierfield, is now back behind bars, this time for 14 days.

He admitted three counts of failing to surrender, last September 19 and on January 24 and February 7, driving without due care and attention, no insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, last August 8.

Stott was also banned for 12 months.

Stephen Parker, pros-ecuting, said police attention was drawn to the white van Stott was at the wheel of on Blackburn Road, because of its current condition.

They followed it on to Steiner Street and the defendant eventually abandoned the vehicle.

He was arrested at the scene, questioned and said he believed he had not been driving dangerously.

Stott had been sent to prison last November 5, for failing to surrender three times in July and twice in September, and for theft and police assault.

Philip Holden, for Stott, said: “The irony of this case is that he has been regularly attend-ing Inspire, even though warrants were out-standing.”

The barrister added the defendant had spent 20 days on remand over the driving offence.

Sentencing, Judge Robert Altham said the careless driving proved a ‘serious case of its type’.

He told the defendant: “You have a dreadful record so far as driving matters are concerned.

And he added: “You also have a dreadful record for breaching bail.”