A fugitive who put lives at risk during a high-speed police chase has been jailed.

Damian Clack led police on a 70mph chase through Horsham and along winding country lanes.

Police were forced to abandon the pursuit because it was too dangerous to continue.

Clack dumped the car and fled on foot but the Volvo was found a few minutes later by a Sussex Police helicopter crew.

In the back they found a form for petrol Clack had been unable to pay for at Sainsbury's garage in Horsham earlier in the day.

Staff there had allowed him to leave details with them so he could return later to pay for the fuel.

He had given a false name but filled in the correct details for the car he was driving.

Officers were later able to identify Clack getting into the Volvo on footage from security cameras at the petrol station, Hove Crown Court heard yesterday.

Daniel Fugallo, prosecuting, said at the time Clack was wanted for failing to turn up at court for a shoplifting offence in February.

A police van driver spotted Clack driving the Volvo in Horsham on May 4, and tried to stop it in Albion Way as it was heading for Bishopric.

Mr Fugallo said: "Clack appeared to have a female in the car with him and accelerated away at at least 65 mph pursued by the police van.

"He crossed into on-coming traffic causing other vehicles to swerve to avoid him."

The chase continued with Clack driving across a roundabout and through junctions at up to 60mph.

He braked hard from 70mph at one junction, skidding the car round in a 90 degree turn before heading off into the countryside.

Mr Fugallo said: "Officers continued to pursue him but because of the windiness of the roads they could not drive at those speeds safely and lost sight of him."

Clack, 32, of Jockey Mead Road, Horsham, admitted dangerous driving, theft, failing to surrender to bail and other motoring offences.

The court heard that he has 11 previous convictions for driving while disqualified and was banned at the time of the chase.

Frank Winslett, defending, said: "He is someone who comes before the court with a horrendous record which is nothing to be proud of.

"In is own words, he admits that in the past he was someone who did not want to change the way he lived.

"He has come to realise that at the age of 32, he has got to change his ways."

Clack was jailed for a total of 20 months and banned from driving for a year.

Judge Austin Issard-Davies told him: "Police made it plain to you that they wanted you to stop.

"You chose to try and escape at the cost of great danger and possible death to other people.

"You were disqualified from driving at the time but that, it appears, is as nothing to you.

"A steady number of police officers, innocent passers-by, and passengers of other vehicles are killed as a result of activities just like yours."