A 36-year-old Stroud man has today admitted causing an elderly cyclist's death by driving into him while trying to get away from the police.

Appearing via video link from Hewell Prison to Gloucester Crown Court, Daryl Ackland sat at a desk with head bowed as he pleaded guilty to causing the death of Joseph Marchant, 71, by dangerous driving in Bisley Road, Stroud, on October 27.

He also admitted driving without insurance.

The charges stated he was driving dangerously in Bisley Old Road, Hollow Lane and Bisley Road.

The court heard that police began following Ackland's Saab car shortly before the collision because they suspected he had no insurance. His driving was being recorded on a dashcam in the police patrol car.

But the police did not get the collision itself on camera.

Prosecutor Janine Wood said the Crown is awaiting a police collision investigator's report on how fast Ackland was driving at the time of the collision.

Judge Michael Cullum said the speed calculation will make a difference to sentence. If it is proved that Ackland was driving at a 'greatly excessive' speed the starting point for sentence would be five years, he said.

But if the speed was not categorised as greatly excessive the starting point will be three years.

The judge ordered that the police report be prepared by December 30.

Claire Buckley, defending, said she had drafted Ackland's basis of plea but could not finalise it until the police report was issued.

"I am awaiting dashcam evidence," she said.

"It shows the the events leading up to the collision but not the collision itself."

Judge Cullum asked: "The police were involved with the defendant before the accident?"

Mrs Buckley said: "They believed he had no insurance."

The judge said: "That was correct. He was being followed because he had no insurance. He speeds up and then there is the fatal accident. "

Mrs Buckley said "His basis of plea is that he accepts he was going in excess of the limit and that was dangerous because the roads were narrow and he should not have been travelling at that speed.

"He does not accept he was travelling at a greatly excessive speed.

"The dashcam evidence will probably assist on whether the speed was greatly excessive."

The judge remanded Ackland in custody till a date to be fixed, not before January 9.