A DISQUALIFIED driver is bracing himself for jail after breaching a suspended sentence handed to him for leading police on a high-speed chase.

Jamie-Lee Owen, 24, of Taunton Road, Bridgwater, led police on a “dangerous pursuit” between Chard and Taunton last summer which he was sentenced for in November.

But he has flouted the suspended sentence and ban slapped on him after being caught behind the wheel in a supermarket car park, in Bridgwater, last April.

Mr Recorder R Onslow, sitting at Taunton Crown Court, said Owen has let down Judge David Ticehurst down – who sentenced him for the original offence – and adjourned the case to go before him on Thursday, June 21.

The recorder said: “Would it be better for Judge Ticehurst to stare this man in the eye and tell him how disappointed he is?

“Well, Jamie Lee Owen, you’re going to come back next week on Thursday, June 21, and you will come before Judge Ticehurst who gave you the original suspended sentence. He will know what to make of you.”

And Owen, said in response: “Yes, two and-a-half years in prison.”

Owen was sentenced to 14 months in prison for dangerous driving, suspended for two years, and disqualified from driving for two years in November.

He will also have to carry out 30 days of rehabilitation activities.

Harry Ahuja, defending, said his client had thought Judge Ticehurst was in court to sentence today (June 15).

Prosecutor Rebecca Bradbury said Owen was seen driving a car in a supermarket car park in Bridgwater in April this year.

She said: “Information received by police was that there was a driver who was disqualified in Bridgwater. A police officer was dispatched and located the vehicle. He followed it to a supermarket car park and apprehended the driver. He was co-operative and he admitted to the olfficer he was disqualified.

“He was arrested and made a full comment at interview where he admitted the offence.

“In respect of the suspended sentence order for dangerous driving in June last year, in short, it was a police chase.

“Police indicated for him to stop and he didn’t. He accelerated away from them in the Chard area and it involved several police cars and it continued to Taunton.

“During that time, he was displaying extremely dangerous driving and putting lots of people at risk.

“Police boxed him in and he continued to drive at a slow speed scraping down the side of police vehicles.”

He has been released on unconditional bail.