An actor who starred as Snoozy the dwarf alongside Priscilla Presley, screamed ‘I’m going to die’ as he and his friends led police on a terrifying car chase, a court heard.

Darius Ashard, 21, of Madras Road in Ilford was a passenger in a stolen Vauxhall Astra taken during a burglary in St Anthony’s Avenue, Woodford Green, in August last year.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that the car hit traffic lights near Charlie Brown's roundabout before careering onto the A406 North Circular into the path of oncoming traffic.

Police caught the fugitives after they jumped out of the car, and found Ashard clutching a stolen iPad and laptop.

Daniel Jerome, defending, said Ashard had performed alongside Priscilla Presley in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Wimbledon since the incident.

He said: “Being part of the cast has given him a window into other potential work in that field.

“He was asked by his co-defendants if he could look after a bag containing stolen property.

“He realised there was something untoward but out of goodness to his friends, he said yes.”

Ashard admitted aggravated vehicle taking and handling stolen goods. He received a 12-month community order with 40 hours unpaid work.

James Howsen, 22, of Whittington Road, Hutton, who was driving the car, admitted aggravated vehicle taking and was handed a six-month sentence, a £200 fine, and disqualified for a year.

He is already serving five months for attempting to escape the dock at a previous hearing

Nathan Pearce, 21, of Burns Road, Romford, will be sentenced for aggravated vehicle taking and two counts of burglary on March 1.

Sentencing, Judge Joanna Korner QC said: “You could have caused the death and or serious injury of a number of other people and indeed, you could probably have killed yourselves.”