A 23-YEAR-OLD man who a judge said had fled police at “grossly excessive” speeds and gone the wrong way around a roundabout was jailed for six months today.

Caernarfon crown court heard police gave up the night-time pursuit in the rain of uninsured provisional licence holder Steven Connor, of Meadow Drive, Porthmadog, because of the risk.

Police had seen a Ford Focus driven erratically and stall at a junction on the A487 near Criccieth on March 1. It reached twice the 30mph speed limit at Pentrefelin and overtook on double white lines, said prosecutor Matthew Dunford.

Connor admitted dangerous driving.

Richard Edwards, defending, agreed there was “poor” driving but said there had been no overtaking on blind bends. Connor wasn’t employed.

Judge Rhys Rowlands told Connor he deliberately took risks to avoid being stopped by the police. “The officers suspected you would have been under the influence of drink or drugs. We will never know because you managed to make good your escape,” the judge remarked.

It was a protracted episode of bad driving, Judge Rowlands said. “Traffic was light that evening but there were other road users about. It’s only by really good fortune they were not being placed at risk of serious injury or worse.”

Courts had to be seen to be taking a stance to deter other drivers. “This matter is too serious to be dealt with by anything other than an immediate custodial sentence,” Judge Rowlands added.

A 21 months driving ban was imposed with an extended test.