A man has been jailed after he crashed head-on into another driver while being pursued by police in a stolen car.

Lee Manners, 35, of Halford Place, London, accepted causing serious injury by dangerous driving at Reading Crown Court today (June 4).

On May 15, 2022, the defendant - a habitual criminal - was spotted in a stolen car in Burnham.

Police gave chase to him, and he ended up driving at speed on the wrong side of the road.

One witness estimated that Manners was travelling at around 70mph in Burnham Lane - a road with a 30mph speed limit.

His vehicle ultimately collided with another car.

Judge Heather Norton, sentencing Manners, said the other driver was left with a fractured eye socket and bruising.

He also lost teeth in the collision.

Manners fled the scene, and was apprehended shortly after the crash.

The judge said that the defendant made a number of improbable claims following his arrest.

He told investigators that he did not know the police were pursuing him, that he drove on the wrong side of the road by mistake, and that he was not aware his car had fake licence plates

This was despite the fact his DNA was found on the plates.

Defence barrister Shina Animashaun read a statement from Manners, in which he expressed remorse over the collision

He said: "I want you to hear that what happened was a terrible mistake on my part. My reckless behaviour while driving endangers you, your family and other road users.

"I'm fully aware of my actions, and the impact they have caused and had on you."

He addressed his victim directly, stating: "Please hear me when I say I never intended for any harm to come to you."

Judge Norton said that Manners' offending had been driven by a persistent drug addiction.

She remarked that, since the collision, he had taken steps to address this.

The judge urged him to continue with these efforts in jail, saying: "There is no rule that says, because somebody goes into prison as a drug user, they must come out a drug user."

Manners was jailed for two years and two months.

Upon release, he will be banned from driving for three years.