A POLICE helicopter found a drug addict hiding in a garden after he drove on a pavement, crashed into a post and fled from officers.

Steven Jenkins, aged 21, of Zouch Street, Manselton, admitted driving while disqualified, without due care and attention and without insurance.

He also pleaded guilty to failing to stop for a uniformed police officer when he appeared at Swansea Magistrates' Court.

Julie Sullivan, prosecuting, said Jenkins was banned from driving in March 2008 after he was convicted of dangerous driving. The fresh offences happened on November 19 at 12.50pm.

"Police officers were in a marked patrol vehicle,'' said Miss Sullivan.

Jenkins, who was driving a Golf, turned left into Gors Avenue, before speeding up Pentregethin Road.

"Police followed and activated their siren and lights in an indication to stop,'' said Miss Sullivan.

Jenkins continued driving towards Penlan with the police in pursuit.

Magistrates heard he mounted a pavement before colliding with a post and coming to a stop on a grass verge where he fled the scene.

"One of the passengers in the vehicle was detained by police officers,'' said Miss Sullivan. "A police helicopter then located Mr Jenkins. He was found hiding in a rear garden of a house.''

On his arrest, Jenkins, who has two children, told officers: "I was the driver of the car and I failed to stop.''

Miss Sullivan said: "He said he saw a police vehicle following behind him, he panicked.

"He knew he should not have been driving, but was using the car to move house."

Jenkins was last before the court in August for possessing heroin. Gyles Hayes, defending, said: "The facts are fully accepted by Mr Jenkins. He's sorry for what happened.

"There was a brief chase. Steven Jenkins has a very long-standing drug dependency problem.''

In a report from probation services the court heard his drug problem was "chaotic" and that he'd admitted "bingeing on heroin and crack cocaine.'' Jenkins was jailed for 16 weeks and banned from driving until March 2013.