A CONVICTED drug dealer has been jailed after leading police officers on a high speed pursuit through Prestwich.

Anthony McCorquodale, who was jailed for three years in 2018 for supplying heroin, drove a Seat Leon at 75mph through a 30mph zone before colliding with a Mercedes, as he attempted to escape from chasing officers earlier this year.

At Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, Helena Williams, prosecuting, said that at around 11.45pm on March 4, two police officers spotted a Seat Leon waiting at the junction of Scholes Lane and Bury New Road.

"The driver and passenger appeared to be trying to avoid eye contact with the officers and when the lights turned green the Seat turned right onto Scholes Lane and accelerated off at speed," said Ms Williams. "The Seat travelled through a red light and there was also temporary traffic lights on Sheepfoot Lane and a long line of stationary vehicles were waiting to pass through.

"The Seat began overtaking the stationary cars causing oncoming vehicles to brake suddenly as it weaved between them as it turned onto Park Road."

The car knocked off the wing mirror of a parked Kia while travelling at around 75mph and as the vehicle approached a roundabout it went into the opposite lane in order to overtake a moving vehicle.

"A Mercedes E-Class was turning right into Castle Hill Road and the Seat collided with it causing it to spin 180 degrees into a wall," said Ms Williams, who said the driver was not injured seriously.

The driver of the Seat left the vehicle and ran off but was caught by officers who discovered he was banned from driving and that the vehicles was displaying false number plates and not insured.

Ms Williams added that McCorquodale, 27, of Lime Close, Salford, had 18 previous convictions for 31 offences.

Eleanor Gleeson, defending, said McCorquodale, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving without while disqualified, showed "great remorse" and "deeply regretted" his actions.

"As a child he was in and out of care homes and it was not a positive time in his life," said Ms Gleeson. "Without a father figure he found himself getting involved in the wrong group who were a negative influence on his life."

Sentencing McCorquodale to 12 months imprisonment, Judge Sophie McKone, said: "This was very bad dangerous driving and you risked the lives of other road users.

"You took that risk simply because you did not want to stop for the police but I accept you are remorseful for what you have done and you genuinely want to turn your life around so you can be a better father to your daughter."

McCorquodale was also banned from driving for 24 months and 29 days.