A HIGH-SPEED chase through Barrow during the Christmas shopping period could have led to 'horrific' consequences, magistrates said. 

Roscoe Cowsill, 32, of Parker Street in Barrow, admitted dangerous driving, not having insurance and failing to stop for police when he appeared at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court in Barrow on July 15. 

"It was prolonged time of very fast driving in December at Christmas," chair of the bench Sharon Gillam said. "The consequences could have been horrific." 

She added the case is 'beyond our remit of sentence.' 

Cowsill led police on the chase in a black VW on December 23, the court heard.

Prosecutor Lee Dacre said there was a 'high volume of pedestrians Christmas shopping' during the pursuit, which involved driving at 50mph in a 30mph zone, failing to give way to cars and speeding through two red traffic lights.

At one point Cowsill hit 60mph before getting out and instigating a short foot chase. 

Cowsill is now banned from driving until his next hearing. He will be sentenced for the dangerous driving and not having third party insurance offences at Preston Crown Court on August 26.