A man who drove “at reckless speed” along the pavement of a residential street as police chased him has been jailed.

Elvis Milkurti led police on a 10 minute pursuit around the streets of north London after they indicated for him to pull over.

The 25-year-old of Northumberland Park, Tottenham pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop, and driving without a licence before Wood Green Crown Court on Friday October 20.

Milkurti had denied he was the driver of the car until evidence from a police helicopter team who pursued him was heard during a trial in August.

Prosecuting, Ms Carol Summers told the court that on May 17 2017 at 2.30pm police recognised the white BMW Milkurti was driving and indicated for it to pull over.

“Police pulled up, he noticed and started to pick up speed and after they put on lights and sirens he continued to accelerate at speed,” Ms Summers said.

Tottenham Independent:

Milkurti abandoned the chase after narrowly missing a police car at the junction of White Hart Lane and Dunbar Road, Wood Green. Photo: Google Maps.

“At one point a lorry had to make an emergency stop to avoid a crash.

“He drove up onto the pavement in order to pass a lorry which was blocking the road.

“The speed limit was 20 mph and he was going 40 mph. The defendant almost crashed into a second police vehicle turning from White Hart Lane onto Dunbar Road.”

After stopping the car, Milkurti fled with the two passengers and threw the keys, his mobile phone and a small amount of herbal cannabis into the grass.

Defending, Ms Jotika Kukadia, told the court Milkurti, who is originally from Kosovo, had been undertaking an apprenticeship at his mother’s salon after he was disqualified from driving last year.

Ms Kukadia said: “Up until this time he was of good character.

“He accepts and is genuinely remorseful for the actions he has undertaken.”

Sentencing, Judge Recorder A. Hurst said Milkurti “stopped being quite the coward you had been” when he decided to change his plea to guilty.

“You drove appallingly,” he said.

“You put your own selfish interests ahead of others and you drove at reckless speed.

“You continued to accelerate and brake sharply and then you got to the point, in order to pass a lorry that you thought it was safe or reasonable to drive along the pavement.

“If someone had come out onto the pavement you could have killed them.”

Milkurti was sentenced to 14 months in prison for dangerous driving and failing to stop and three months for driving without a licence and insurance, to be served concurrently.

He was disqualified from driving for four years.