A MAN who led a police officer on a high speed chase on a narrow unclassified road told police that he realised he “could have killed somebody”.

Arkadiusz Cieslinski, 35, admitted dangerous driving near Newcastle Emlyn and failing to stop when requested by a police officer during the incident on 29 July.

Defence solicitor Janem Jones said that Cieslinski had been “frightened” that if he stopped for the officer he would lose his driving licence as he had drunk a beer before driving.

Prosecutor Helen Tench said that a police officer on mobile patrol spotted Cieslinski driving a Vauxhall Vectra on the A484 at around 7.30pm and followed him for a short while before seeing Cieslinski, of Maeshyfryd, Llwyndrain, Llanfyrnach, turn onto a small, narrow unclassified road at high speed.

Ms Tench said that the officer put on the police car’s siren and blue lights, but that Cieslinski continued to accelerate and increase speed.

While the officer notified police control, Cieslinski was driving at speeds above 70mph despite the road being described as narrow, with no pavement and with limited visibility on bends because of trees and bushes, and in wet conditions.

Cieslinski drove through a hamlet on the road at 60mph with the police officer slowing down in the hope that it would lead to Cieslinski to slow down as well, but Ms Tench said Cieslinski continued to drive at high speed.

Ms Tench said Cieslinski was described as driving at high speed into bends, cutting corners in the road and at speeds exceeding 70mph.

The car was found at Cieslinski’s home later and after his arrest Cieslinski claimed he had been “frightened” after realising there was a police officer driving after him as he had drunk one beer before driving.

He admitted to police that his driving was “idiotic” and dangerous and that it could have led to someone being seriously hurt or even killed.

Mrs Jones said Cieslinski, who has no previous convictions, had panicked and driven off without considering what he was doing.

She said he had come to the UK four years previously before returning home to Poland for a year and then coming back to the UK.

She said he didn’t understand that he would not have been in trouble as he was under the drink-drive limit.

Cieslinski was given a suspended prison sentence of 18 weeks suspended for a year.

He will also have to carry out 50 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £200.