A man from Northfleet who sparked a high speed car chase through Gravesend town centre after his ex girlfriend refused to get into his car has been jailed.

Lee Aldous, 25, of Packham Road, rammed the vehicle she was travelling in after following it through Gravesend, causing it to spin and crash into the front of a business premises.

He then dragged her from the wreckage and bundled her into his car before assaulting her on their way back to his home.

Aldous was jailed for 14 months at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday, January 20, after pleading guilty to dangerous driving while disqualified and with no insurance, and two counts of assault.

The court heard how Aldous approached his victim as she left a pub in Gravesend town centre with her brother and his friend, shortly before midnight on Friday, December 2 2016.

He demanded that she get into his car but she refused and he drove away following a brief confrontation.

The woman and her friends then persuaded an unknown man to give them a lift home, but after travelling only a short distance they were rammed from behind by Aldous’ vehicle.

He approached the driver’s side door and smashed the window with a screwdriver before assaulting one of two men who had got out of the car.

The woman urged the driver to keep driving, sparking a high-speed chase through the town centre.

It ended when Aldous rammed the vehicle into the front of a car showroom in Saddington Street, badly damaging a security shutter.

"This was not a Hollywood blockbuster – it was a very real and reckless incident" - DC Phil Pead

After dragging the woman from the car he abandoned his own damaged vehicle in Gwynn Road, Northfleet, before repeatedly slapping her across the face.

Police were called and a warrant was issued for Aldous’ arrest. He was found and brought into custody on Friday, December 9 2016.

Investigating officer DC Phil Pead said: "Lee Aldous’ actions were incredibly dangerous and it was fortunate there were not more vehicles on the road during the chase, which at one point resulted in both vehicles driving the wrong way around the one-way system.

"This was not a Hollywood blockbuster – it was a very real and reckless incident in which Aldous can count himself lucky that nobody was seriously injured or worse.

"Aldous is clearly a danger to women and other road-users and I am pleased the courts saw fit to impose a custodial sentence upon him.

"I would like to pay tribute to his ex-partner for having the courage to speak up about what happened to her, and hope her actions send a clear message to other victims of domestic abuse that there is no need to suffer in silence."

Aldous was jailed for 28 months in June 2015 after he crashed a motorbike in Crooked Lane, Gravesend.

Aldous admitted five offences including causing serious injury by dangerous driving and being unfit to drive through drink. His female passenger suffered a fractured skull.

He was also punished for driving without valid insurance, a licence and a test certificate.