A high speed chase saw a driver reverse into a police car and smash into a BMW before officers had to abandon the pursuit.

Martin Vasjanov, 22, had been driving a silver Lexus car in Metcalf Avenue, King’s Lynn on April 11 last year when he was stopped by police.

Norwich Crown Court heard as the officers were searching the car Vasjanov “took off at some speed”.

Danielle O’Donovan, prosecuting, said the officers followed but the defendant who had refused to stop reversed at speed into the police car, also hitting a BMW car before again driving off.

Ms O’Donovan said the defendant reversed into the police car for a second time, also hitting another car, a BMW, resulting in damage to the vehicles.

Again Vasjanov drove off at speed and lost the officers who abandoned the chase, which had included parts of Wisbech Road, Clenchwarton Road, the A47 and Walton Highway.

But Vasjanov’s details were circulated by police.

Following the incident, Vasjanov was picked up by police in Boston, Lincolnshire five days later and arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving.

He denied being the driver of the vehicle involved in the incident and agreed to take part in an ID parade.

He was picked out by the officers who identified him as the man they had tried to stop.

Vasjanov, a Lithuanian national of no fixed address, has previous convictions including an earlier offence of dangerous driving.

He appeared at court on Friday (September 25) via videolink having pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at an earlier hearing at Norwich Magistrates Court.

Dudley Beal, mitigating, said the defendant, who has psychotic and cognitive difficulties, could not remember the incident but by his plea accepted his guilt.

He said Vasjanov had felt somewhat scared and alarmed at the blue lights flashing.

Judge Andrew Shaw said he was satisfied the defendant was suffering from a mental disorder and sentenced Vasjanov to a hospital order so he could get treatment for his condition and protect the public from further offending.

Vasjanov was also disqualified from driving for two years and told he would have to take an extended retest before he could drive again.