A man has been jailed for driving offences in West Dorset.

Joshua Joseph Hayward, aged 26 and of no fixed abode, appeared at Weymouth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, January 22, after admitting offences of driving without due care and attention, driving without valid insurance and breaching a criminal behaviour order.

At around 10.30am on Saturday, December 14, officers investigating a report of criminal damage in Bridport town centre witnessed a man they recognised as Hayward in Castle Square.

As an officer approached the defendant, he ran off and shortly afterwards Hayward was seen driving a blue Volkswagen Golf. Officers carried out searches for the vehicle and it was seen driving through a red traffic light from Skilling Hill Road onto West Bay Road.

The vehicle was subsequently located at East Cliff near West Bay and the defendant was located. He was verbally aggressive before he was arrested by officers following negotiations.

Hayward had been made subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order on February 20, 2019, with the order in place for two years and including a restriction on entering certain areas of Bridport, covering Castle Square.

He was sentenced to a total of 12 weeks in prison, ordered to pay victim surcharge of £122 and disqualified from driving for nine months.

Police Constable Paul Diffey, of Bridport police, said: “Joshua Hayward’s driving was reckless and put other road users at risk.

“I would like to thank all the officers involved in locating him and ensuring the matter was resolved without any harmful impact to members of the public.

“Hayward was the subject of a criminal behaviour order, which is one of a number of tools we use to protect communities from repeat offenders and ensure they will face additional punishment if found to breach the terms of the order.”