A CARLISLE danger driver almost collided with a van in his bid to flee police as they gave chase.

Brian Light, 33, has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced by a judge for motoring offences committed on Thursday, September 1.

Details of Light’s criminal conduct were outlined at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court today (Tuesday).

It was 5.50pm, said prosecutor George Shelley, when two PCs were travelling from Nelson Bridge towards Denton Street.

They reported seeing a silver Citroen C2 driving towards them at speed, overtaking another vehicle on the wrong side of the road in a 30mph zone.

“One PC recognised the driver to be Mr Light,” said Mr Shelley. That officer noted down registration of the vehicle as it passed.

Police illuminated blue lights and sirens but Light failed to stop. He overtook a large queue of traffic on the wrong side of the road and failed to stop at a red light.

Light was then almost involved in a collision with a van, going through another red signal on nearby James Street and still travelling on the wrong side of the road where, said Mr Shelley, 'sighting was lost'.

“When the defendant was interviewed, he gave a ‘no comment’ response to all questions which were put to him,” added the prosecutor.

Light, who gave his address as Lawson Street, Carlisle, admitted three charges: dangerous driving, disqualified driving and having no third party insurance.

The court heard he had 41 previous convictions for 72 offences including a raft of driving crimes. These included careless driving and dangerous driving.

In 2016 he was handed a 22-month prison sentence and a four-year driving ban after clocking 125mph during a 10-mile night-time chase which ended with him demolishing a garden wall, suffering a broken jaw and collapsed lung in the impact.

Magistrates heard he was most recently convicted in June 2022, for unrelated offending which resulted in a four-week jail term.

Kate Hunter, defending, said Light — whose partner was present in court — had six children at home.

He had recently been given back a valeting job after his release from custody.

Magistrates sent Light’s case to Carlisle Crown Court, where he is due to be sentenced on October 18. Bail was refused and he was remanded in custody until then.