An immature ‘birthday boy’ who took his brother's car for a joyride and hit speeds of 70mph during a police pursuit has been jailed.

Umar Farooq said he was ‘stressed about becoming a father’ when he stole his brother's car, just days after finishing a community order for doing the exact same thing.

Prosecuting at Burnley Crown Court, Stephen Parker said at about tea time on Farooq’s 20th birthday, on April 24, his brother, Shazad Atif, looked out of the window to see Farooq sat in the driver's seat of his car revving the engine.

Mr Atif shouted from the window to ask his brother what he was doing, and Farooq said he was ‘going to the shop’.

Mr Atif replied: “Bro don’t take it, the last time you did this you smashed it up.”

Farooq ignored his brother’s plea and drove off.

At about 12.45am the next day, a police officer saw Farooq pull out of the Spar in Netherfield Road, Nelson, at speed and started a chase.

Farooq drove dangerously for about two miles, hitting speeds of 70mph in 30mph zones, going over roundabouts without looking, and driving through red lights in a bid to escape the officer.

The chase ended when Farooq lost control in Marsden Road and crashed the car into a Fiat 500 and a wall, causing a significant amount of damage.

He ran from the car and was found by officers hiding in a bush when he was arrested.

Mitigating, Mark Stuart said Farooq’s partner was due to give birth next week.

Mr Stuart also said a pre-sentence report labelled the defendant as ‘immature’, reading an extract where the author said ‘he feels he can take his brother's vehicle for a joy ride and there are no consequences’.

Mr Stuart argued Farooq now understands the consequences, having been in prison since the offence.

Judge Sara Dodd said because of his previous offending there was no choice but to jail him.

She said: “This was dangerous driving during the course of a police chase.

“You had been told to stop and you did not do so. Your speed was more than twice the speed limit in some parts.

“There are a number of occasions when you overtook cars, you went through red lights and around roundabouts the wrong way.”

Farooq, of Smith Street, Nelson, was jailed for 10 months and disqualified from driving for two years.

He must take an extended retest at the end of his driving ban before being able to take to the roads again.