A teenager who led police on a high-speed chase in Bury St Edmunds has avoided an immediate prison sentence.

Brandon Hoyte, 18, was behind the wheel of a BMW 1 Series on September 13, 2019, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Police were notified of a suspected stolen vehicle travelling along the A14 and spotted a BMW being driven towards Bury by Hoyte, who was 16 at the time.

Officers illuminated their blue lights but the BMW failed to stop and made off at speed, overtaking other vehicles and reaching speeds of 85mph, Daniel Setter, prosecuting, told the court.

Chased by police, Hoyte then drove the wrong way around a roundabout, causing other drivers to take evasive action, the court heard.

The BMW then struck a kerb and the impact knocked the nearside wheels out of alignment, Mr Setter said.

The pursuit ended when the damaged wheels prevented Hoyte from turning off the road.

Hoyte and others in the car got out of the vehicle and ran off.

Hoyte was then located in a nearby garden by a police dog, Mr Setter told the court.

Hoyte, of Grange Hill, Chigwell, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on Barton Road in Bury before magistrates in August last year.

The court heard that he had a number of previous convictions as a youth.

James Halliday, mitigating, said Hoyte is "putting his juvenile history behind him" and now works as a bartender.

Mr Halliday said despite his previous convictions, Hoyte had not offended since August 2019 and had kept out of trouble.

Hoyte now lives with his girlfriend and wants to work in the construction industry in the future, Mr Halliday added.

Sentencing Hoyte on Wednesday, Recorder Graham Huston said he accepted that Hoyte had made "positive changes" to his life since the incident and was engaging with the Probation Service.

Recorder Huston added that it was "fortunate" that no-one was injured otherwise the outcome could have been "very different".

Hoyte was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 150 hours of unpaid work and 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was also banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to take an extended test to gain his licence.