A MAN who led police on a high-speed chase through Malvern after being pulled over has escaped jail.

Jacob Urbain sped away from police after they tried to pull him over and had to be pepper sprayed before officers could arrest him.

He admitted driving without due care and attention and obstructing and resisting arrest at Worcester Magistrates Court.

He also admitted refusing a breathalyser and failing to stop.

Police spotted Urbain, 23, who had returned to Malvern from Farnham in Surrey to rekindle his relationship with his parents, in his BMW at the junction of Graham Road and Moorlands Road at around 1am on March 31.

The officer attempted to pull him over after seeing him driving ‘fast and erratically’ on the Worcester Road near the junction with Newtown Road.

The officer later drove alongside the BMW and opened his passenger window to speak to him.

Urbain admitted driving “a little bit fast” and agreed to get out of the car but sped off as the officer reversed the police car behind the BMW.

Adrian Jones, prosecuting, said: “PC Edmunds followed the defendant and estimated that he was driving in excess of 70mph.”

Urbain was eventually caught after the officer found the BMW parked strangely.

He was walking away from the car and seen to throw an object over a wall, which later turned out to be the car key.

Urbain was subdued with pepper spray after refusing to be handcuffed.

Mr Jones said: “He held his arms so the office couldn’t apply the handcuffs to both wrists. The officer had to use the spray on the defendant to get him under control. Eventually he cuffed him and arrested him.”

At the police station, Urbain refused a breath test and later admitted he had drunk three pints, went home and then returned to the pub and drank another six pints.

Mark Turnbull, defending, said: “He can’t explain why he got in the car. He could have quite easily have walked home. There was no reason to drive whatsoever.

“He thoroughly regrets this series of events.”

Mr Turnball said Urbain was born in Malvern but was sent by his parents to Farnham in Surrey to live with his grandparents. He had recently returned after his father secured him a job.

He added the reunion with his parents had not gone well and it was something he was likely to be dwelling on when he was drinking.

Urbain, of Crondall Lane in Farnham, was sentenced to 12 weeks which was suspended for 18 months.

He was fined a total of £916 and banned from driving for 36 months which could be reduced if he attends a drink-driving course.

He was also told to complete 120 hours of unpaid work.

Simon Freebairn, chairman of the bench, said: “The suspended sentence means if you do anything in those 18 months, this will come back to haunt you.

“We hope it will make you see sense in the future.”

The case was heard on Thursday, April 19.