A man who led officers on two separate dangerous pursuits in Salisbury has been put behind bars.

Matthew Jewell, 45, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to various driving offences and in a hearing at Salisbury Crown Court on Monday (20/10) he was sentenced to two years in prison.

At 9.50pm on May 11, officers received information that a white MG, thought to be being driven by Jewell, an expired licence holder, was parked outside an address in Robinson Grove, Longhedge.

At 10.30pm, the vehicle was seen to leave the address and was pre-emptively stung as it left the estate. The vehicle failed to stop for two units and was pursued along Fourmile Hill with severely damaged tyres, during which it repeatedly straddled the central line. Jewell turned right onto High Post Road and then on to Gaters Lane, where the vehicle came to a stop with disintegrated tyres. Jewell then decamped and was pursued on foot through a ford and out the other side, where he was tasered and arrested.

On a separate occasion, on the morning of April 2 this year, we received a report of a Land Rover Freeland parked on Pennings Road, Salisbury, with Jewell in the driver’s seat unresponsive. Officers attended the scene and the vehicle was no longer present, however it was soon spotted by officers on Devizes Road. Jewell reacted to the officer’s presence and fled, leading officers on a short pursuit to Millstream Approach. Thanks to a witness, officers were pointed in the direction of a nearby flat. The occupant allowed officers in to search and Jewell was found hiding in the loft.

Jewell was also sentenced for two counts of Dangerous Driving, two counts of driving without a licence, driving without insurance, failing to stop for police and three counts of failing to stop at the scene of a collision. He was also sentenced for breaching a suspended sentence.

Jewell was also disqualified from driving for three years and will need to pass an extended driving test at the end of the disqualification.

PC Ben Agate said: “Matthew Jewell is a prolific offender who, while on bail after being caught driving illegally in April, committed the second offence just over a month later.

“He put numerous lives at risk through his driving and it was fortunate that there were no injuries.

“Following his charges, he was remanded into custody and he has now been jailed for his actions.”