A banned driver who led police on a 60 mph chase through the streets of Oxford has been jailed for 15 months.

James Maughan, of Peregrine Road, Blackbird Leys, who was disqualified from driving last January, was spotted by officers driving away from a pub, where there had been reports of trouble, in Marston on August 12.

Oxford Crown Court heard yesterday that he ignored requests to pull over and drove off at speed in a 30 mph zone.

Amanda Millmore, prosecuting, said Maughan overtook one vehicle dangerously, and refused to stop at a red traffic light at a junction with Headington Road. Eventually he crashed into a garden fence in Southfield Road.

In the ensuing struggle to arrest Maughan, who was drunk, one officer suffered a broken finger.

Mrs Millmore said Maughan had been behind the wheel of a Ford Transit pulled over by police two days earlier, on August 10, for having a faulty brake light. Maughan had given a false name, and when checked, the van was found to be licensed in the name of one of his aliases.

Maughan, 20, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, resisting a police constable, and failing to provide a specimen of breath. He also admitted driving while disqualified and without insurance on August 10.

Nigel Daly, defending, said his client had had a difficult upbringing.

He said Maughan had driven from the pub because his brother, who had driven them there, was too drunk to drive.

Judge Peter Crawford sentenced him to a total of 15 months behind bars and banned him from driving for two years.