The road rage was over, but inside the car Holford was so violent and uncontrollable that during his arrest he had to be capsicum sprayed and then sedated.

"This offending can only be described as extraordinary," solicitor, Grahame Hepworth, said in Newcastle Local Court on Thursday. "His behaviour that night beggars belief and evades any type of explanation."

The rampage started when Holford began following his ex-partner and children in a car from Mount Hutton to Waratah police station on the night of February 9 this year.

During the drive, Holford tried multiple times to crash into his ex-partner's car, went through red lights and on the wrong side of the road, terrifying his family.

His family sought refuge at the police station while Holford sped up and down the street outside, eventually leading police on the first of a number of pursuits.

The police chases were repeatedly terminated due to Holford's driving and he rampaged around the city for an hour, crashing into cars until his tyres disintegrated from the rims and sparks and smoke surrounded him.

Finally, on Scott Street at about 11.40pm, he tried to overtake a tram and became stuck on the concrete median strip.

Holford last month pleaded guilty to reckless driving, police pursuit, intimidation and resisting arrest but Mr Hepworth applied on Thursday for Holford to be granted bail to attend a rehabilitation centre to deal with his ice addiction, saying he had no clear recollection of the night and was "embarrassed' by what he had read and heard about his behaviour.

Magistrate Caleb Franklin could not justify delaying the matter and jailed Holford for a maximum of 16 months, with a non-parole period of 10 months.

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