A Brechin man who led police on two high speed chases within five months was jailed at Forfar Sheriff Court.
Ryan Ingram, of Nether Caldhame, admitted driving at excessive speeds through roads in Brechin on March 5 last year and failing to stop when requested to do so by police.
The 23-year-old also admitted a string of offences on July 16 including failing to stop his Honda Civic Sport for police officers on the A90 between Brechin and Forfar.
He admitted driving the car dangerously at excessive speeds on the A90 by attempting to make a right hand turn across the duel carriageway when it was unsafe to do so, causing a northbound heavy goods vehicle to take evasive action to avoid a collision.
He then reversed his car back onto the southbound carriageway and again drove at excess speed before he failed to negotiate a junction on an access road at Mill of Marcus, causing his car to collide into a tree.
He further admitted that on July 16 at an access road at Mill of Marcus to the A90 he possessed cocaine.
Referring to the earlier incident, depute fiscal Jill Drummond said that officers wanted to stop Ingram’s car due to a brake light being out.
However, Ingram sped off through Park Road and Drumachlie Loan.
On July 16, Ms Drummond said Ingram again sped away from the officers.
“The officers reached speeds of up to 98 miles an hour on the A90 but the accused was still increasing the gap,” she said.
“The officers observed the accused break suddenly and attempt to cross in a gap in a central reservation. A heavy goods vehicle had to break sharply to avoid a head on collision.”
The police officers caught up with Ingram after he crashed his car on an access road to the A90.
“The accused alighted from his vehicle and attempted to run into a field but was caught by an officer,” the depute fiscal added.
“He had a white powder in his hand which later tested positive for cocaine.
“He was found with £265 in cash and the cocaine weighed 18.3 grams with a potential illicit value of £900.”
Defence agent Nick Markowski said his client considered himself addicted to cocaine and also misused cannabis during last year.
“In the early incident he didn’t stop for the police because a friend had smoked a joint in his car the previous day and there was still debris,” he said.
“His car was worth around £1,500 but after the crash he sold it for £200 so there was a financial loss to him.
“He has since got his life together. He has his own tenancy and works as a joiner, employing two people.”
Sheriff Gregor Murray sentenced Ingram to three months for the early offence and eight months for the later offences, to run concurrently.
He also disqualified Ingram from driving for 24 months.