A “STUPID and immature” driver made the “catastrophic” decision to flee police before crashing into multiple cars after being spotted on his phone at the wheel.

Ashley Wildish was using his phone while driving an Alfa Romeo in Shoebury.

Police driving in the opposite direction spotted him and turned around, but the 23-year-old, of Princes Street, Southend, fled rather than stopping.

Wildish veered into traffic, causing two other cars to crash.

Wildish eventually pulled over in Blythe Avenue and surrendered to the police.

The incident happened on January 29 this year at around 6.55pm.

Prosecuting at Southend Crown Court, Harry O’Sullivan said: “He was on his phone and seen by the police as they drove past.

“They saw him drive off, swerving into an adjacent road.

“He clipped the front and side of a passing BMW and another vehicle approaching the scene was forced off the road and had damage to the hub caps.

“The police pursued him along the stretch of road in Shoebury in excess of 30 miles an hour.

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“He’s seen then to make an abrupt turn off that road were he eventually came to a stop in Blythe Avenue.

“The first vehicle was likely to be written off by the insurance company.”

Mitigating, Mark Watson said: “Very fortunately despite the shocking quality of driving no one was seriously injured.

“It’s a shocking piece of driving, and an embarrassing and immature set of decisions on that day.”

Mr Watson said the offences would best be dealt with with the help of the probation service.

Recorder Elroy Claxton said: “You come before the court for driving that was clearly dangerous. It could have resulted in very serious injuries to the public, serious damage to property and a fatality.

“You made an absolutely stupid decision.

“If you were using your phone in the car and then to drive in this way you did, lacks any kind of intelligence and that comes to immaturity.

“It has led to you looking back on this saying you’re stupid and unbelievable.

“You have said you sold your car and no longer drive.”

Wildish received 12 months prison suspended for two years, and was disqualified from driving for 19 months, with 200 hours unpaid work.