A pregnant woman who reached speeds of up to 90mph as she led police on a chase through Colchester has been jailed.

Kerrianne Hibbert, 30, was behind the wheel of a Renault Clio on April 4 this year despite being banned from driving, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

The car activated automatic number plate recognition cameras and police were made aware that Hibbert was disqualified from driving, Samantha Wright, prosecuting, told the court.

Officers began following the Clio on East Street before the car turned onto Ipswich Road, the court heard.

Hibbert then saw another marked police car and began travelling at speed on Cowdray Avenue.

She drove at speeds of 70mph in a 40mph limit and then turned the car's lights off.

Hibbert continued onto Cymbeline Way, switching the car's lights back on and reaching 90mph in a 60mph zone.

She moved into the opposite lane of traffic on the single carriageway road on several occasions, causing other vehicles to brake, the court heard.

Hibbert then made a right-hand turn at a roundabout on the wrong side of road, with "no regard for other road users", Ms Wright said.

The car was found abandoned nearby and Hibbert was discovered lying on the ground between a fence and some bushes.

The court heard that there were four other people in the car when police started the pursuit.

Mother-of-two Hibbert, of Oakley Road, Dovercourt, has 18 previous convictions for 45 offences, including two previous offences of dangerous driving in the past two years.

She was previously jailed for 12 months for dangerous driving in November 2020.

She previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance before magistrates in Colchester.

John Livingston, representing Hibbert, said his client told police in interview that the offending was "irresponsible, stupid and irrational".

Mr Livingston said she did not intend to get behind the wheel but others in the car were intoxicated and not able to drive.

He said Hibbert, who is currently pregnant, drove away from police as she did not want to go back to prison.

Jailing Hibbert for 12 months on Wednesday, Judge David Pugh told her: "This was a highly dangerous episode that could have resulted in serious injury.

"It was very fortuitous that it did not."

Hibbert was also banned from driving for two years.