A banned driver who fled from police in a high-speed pursuit with a child in his car has been jailed for two and a half years.

Lucas Needham – who was uninsured and disqualified – embarked on "a shocking piece of driving" when he realised police had spotted him on the A55 in north Wales last May.

He hit speeds of up to 130mph in a 70mph area and drove excessively fast in a 30mph zone.

The 26-year-old of Connah’s Quay, Wales, "violently resisted police" when they tried to arrest him.

It was when they finally caught up with him that officers discovered a seven-year-old boy was in the car, North Wales Live reported .

Needham admitted dangerous driving at Mold Crown Court.

He also admitted an incident five months earlier when he drove at 100mph and rammed into another car leaving the other motorist injured

His case was aggravated by his previous convictions for 62 offences which included resisting arrest, assaulting police and motoring offences.

He had now admitted his fifth charge of driving while disqualified.

Prosecuting, Jo Maxwell told how Needham "flew past" a motorist at 100mph in January in his Astra before losing control on the  Ewloe  Loop and crashing into the back of a BMW.

Both vehicles were significantly damaged, he ran off but his DNA was found on the air bag.

Last month, he admitted dangerous driving in a Vauxhall Vectra on the A55 eastbound on May 20 when he reached 130mph during a police chase which started at around 11pm.

Cops had been waiting at Abergele for the Vectra after it left Llandudno. A firearms unit officer accelerated up to 130mph but Needham failed to stop.   

The roads policing unit was then sent in pursuit of the car which left the A55 at Caerwys, bringing it to an eventual stop.

Defending barrister Andrew Green said that his client was under no illusion, it had to be custody, and the only question was how long the sentence should be.

He was sorry for what he had done and wanted the court to know of the problems he had to deal with including anxiety, depression and ADHD. That was no excuse for what he had done, said Mr Green.

"He made the wrong choices."

But Judge Niclas Parry said: "It is difficult to imagine behaviour far more irresponsible then shown by you on May 20."

The judge said "you realised police had clocked you" and then embarked on "a shocking piece of driving."

"As if that was not serious enough, upon stopping, you violently resisted police who tried to arrest you," he added.

"It is utter shameful that you had such disregard for the well-being of the seven-year-old boy."

Needham was handed a 13 month sentence after he admitted dangerous driving, disqualified driving, no insurance, failing to stop, failing to report an accident in January and being in breach of a suspended sentence.

He received  a consecutive 17 month sentence for dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, no insurance and resisting arrest for the May incident.

Needham was banned from driving for three years, which starts on his release from prison. 

Investigating Officer, PC Pete Doran of the Roads Policing Unit said: “The defendant in this case showed a complete disregard not only for the safety of his seven-year-old passenger but also other road users whilst driving in excess of 130mph, at which some points without any lights being displayed on the vehicle.

“This was one of the worst cases of driving I have seen in my 20 years of policing.

"I welcome the sentence that this individual has received and hope it will send out a clear message to anybody who thinks of trying to evade from the police that we will not tolerate this type of behaviour on the roads of North Wales.”

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