A 24-YEAR-OLD Darwen man drove at more than 90 mph as he tried to escape from a chasing police car.

Blackburn magistrates heard the high speed pursuit took in the M65 motorway as well as ordinary roads where Sarfraz Khan drove at more than double the speed limit.

And the court was told the incident was one in a catalogue of offences for which Khan fell to be sentenced.

Khan, of Nottingham Street, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and making off without paying for petrol on January 14, guilty to theft of cash from the Queens Park and Audley Youth Information Project on December 3, disqualified driving on January 15, and dangerous driving and driving while disqualified offences which he was convicted of in December. He was committed in custody to Preston Crown Court for sentence.

Peter Wilde, prosecuting, said the petrol theft had taken place at a garage on Higher Audley Street when a female had filled the car before Khan drove off. He was followed to junction six of the M65 where he joined the motorway and undertook another vehicle doing 90 mph.

He pulled off at junction four, left the slip road without stopping, went round the roundabout and rejoined the east-bound carriageway. Khan pulled off at junction five and travelled down Haslingden Road and Shadsworth Road in excess of 60 mph. The chase ended in Pringle Street when Khan tried to drive round some bollards but got bogged down in a field.

The theft from the youth centre involved Khan and another man walking in and taking a cash box which a female member of staff had just lifted out. They ignored her calls to leave the box alone. Khan came back later and returned some of the money.

Basharat Ditta, defending, said his client wanted all matters to be dealt with and accepted that a custodial sentence was inevitable.