Garry Fields was jailed on Wednesday for a minimum of 18 months for the crime spree which unfolded on June 13, last year, and saw dozens of officers from Oxley and New England Commands join the search for the 27-year-old before his arrest.

At the time, Fields was already disqualified from driving for at least seven years after previous run-ins with the law.

Armidale District Court heard Fields sparked a highway emergency and saw a high-speed chase from the outskirts of Uralla along the New England Highway, before a road block was set up on the outskirts of Armidale to halt him in his tracks.

The heavy police response had been launched after Fields' carjacked a Kia Sportage in the City Plaza car park in Tamworth, forcing a woman out her vehicle.

According to police, Fields had tried to hijack a car from the Caltex Service Station on Marius St shortly beforehand but was unsuccessful.

A "keep a look out" was circulated on police radio for all cars after Fields sped off at high speed along Marius Street.

Extra police were called to trawl the area in search of him while highway officers patrolled the New England Highway, with concerns he could of been trying to return home.

He was eventually spotted about half an hour on the outskirts of Uralla, travelling at high speed towards Armidale.

Police deployed road spikes but the vehicle failed to stop and the chase continued.

Senior New England police decided to set up a road block on the outskirts of town when the erratic and high speed driving continued.

At the height of the chase, police confirmed Fields was travelling at speeds of more than 120km per hour in a 50 zone.

After successfully deploying road spikes again, the tyres on the stolen car disintegrated and police moved in, arresting Fields about one kilometre south of the Armidale Airport on the highway.

In sentencing in Armidale District Court this week, Judge Stephen Hanley said Fields' actions were dangerous.

He said there was no other option but a prison sentence, after the court heard Fields had been in custody since his arrest.

Fields was convicted of assault with intent to take and drive a vehicle, police pursuit for the second or subsequent time, aggravated assault with intent to steal vehicle whilst armed with a weapon and drive whilst disqualified.

Judge Hanley imposed a four year sentence backdated to December, but with time served Fields will be eligible for release in June 2016.

He was also ordered off the roads for a further five years on top of his current disqualification, meaning Fields won't be eligible for a licence until 2026.