A serial offender rammed a police car and failed to stop even after his tyre was deflated whilst banned from driving. 

Steven Seagrave drove "erratically", mounting the kerb and even colliding with a police car in a bid to evade capture, Southampton Crown Court heard.

The 36-year-old, who was already disqualified, took off from officers when they approached the Citroen Dispatch van he was in at The Itchen Fruit Company on Hamble Lane. 

As police went towards the vehicle, the sliding doors were opened and a man was pushed out before Seagrave drove off.

The van was spotted by several officers during the incident at around 1am on April 7 which saw him strike a street lamp and a concrete sign. 

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His driving was described as "aggressive" by one officer as he drove towards a police vehicle, narrowly missing it by mounting the kerb.

Prosecutor, Siobhan Lindsay said the van was going around 35 to 40mph when police deflated one of its tyres in a bid to stop it. 

But Seagrave continued, striking one police vehicle on its side. 

Police used tactical contact to bring the chase to an end which also saw the van drive on Satchell Lane and Mariners Close. 

When pulled out of the vehicle, Seagrave appeared intoxicated, was slurring his words and was "unsteady on his feet". 

He became abusive to officers when asked to conduct a breath test and later answered no comment when interviewed. 

Seagrave, of Keynsham Road, Southampton, later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, driving with no insurance and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

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Ms Lindsay added that he has 27 past convictions for 73 offences and had received a community order just two months before this incident. 

But speaking at his sentencing hearing, Keely Harvey, mitigating, said her client had been out drinking with another man that night and believed he had been spiked. 

She added that he was trying to park the van in a safe place at the time he was spotted. 

"What he said when he was first arrested is his reaction now, is that he has been stupid, he has been bad. 

"He is angry at himself that he then decided to take it out on other people. He apologises through me to those people."

The court heard how Seagrave attended alcoholics anonymous meetings whilst on remand and "wants to sort his life out". 

But Judge Nicholas Rowland said: "It doesn’t seem to me there is any prospect of rehabilitation at the moment."

Seagrave was jailed for 20 months and banned from driving for six years.

He must complete an extended re-test if he wants to get his licence back.