A man deliberately rammed his brother’s car into his ex-partner’s car before crashing into a lamppost.

Andrew Ayers, 26, was behind the wheel of his brother’s Ford Eco Sport when he drove into the back of his ex-girlfriend’s car outside his house in Colne.

Burnley Crown Court heard how the pair had been in a relationship for five years, but this was described as “toxic and unhealthy” by Ayers’ defence.

Catherine Ellis, prosecuting, said when Ayers’ ex arrived at his house on May 19 with her brother to discuss arrangements for childcare, he was sat in the vehicle on his driveway holding what appeared to be a wooden bat.

The pair drove off, but Ayers drove into the rear of their car before giving chase and driving after them onto Venables Avenue.

There, he crashed into them again at a speed estimated to be between 40-50mph. This caused him to crash into a lamppost which fell down and then lose control and veering into some gardens.

Ayers got out of the vehicle and continued the chase on foot, while his ex told police it was at this point she thought she was going to die.

She added the difficult part had been seeing Ayers purposely crash into the car without knowing if their child was inside.

Ayers was arrested at the scene after apologising. He provided a "no comment" interview but pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, and affray at a plea and trial preparation hearing in June.

He pleaded not guilty to a charge of possessing an offensive weapon and this was ordered to lie on file.

Ayers’ disqualification from driving arose from a previous incident in which he took his father’s car without consent and drove into a hedge having been drinking and while on a provisional licence.

He was given a 12-month community order for this which was still effective at the time of these offences.

He has five previous convictions for nine offences.

Emily Hassell, defending, when Ayers was sentenced to a community order the court also ordered a mental health treatment requirement, which he was finding “very helpful” and was learning to cope with his “long-standing difficulties.”

Ms Hassell described the offences as “unpleasant and dangerous” and said Ayers makes “absolutely no excuse for his behaviour.”

She added that Ayers wants to return to the community to continue to engage with the mental health treatment.

“He’s of the view had he been able to complete the treatment he’d have been able to much more effectively manage his emotions,” she said.

Recorder Kevin Slack said Ayers “effectively used the car as a weapon” and “had someone been in their front garden at the time you quite simply could have killed them.”

In relation to the previous community order, he added: “Had you abided by that order this offence of dangerous driving could never have happened.”

Ayers was sentenced to 22 months in prison. The previous community order was resentenced to four months in prison to run concurrently to the other sentence.

He was also given an 18-month driving ban with an extension to reflect his time in custody.