A despatch rider who led police on a nightmare chase at speeds of up to 140mph and who was only stopped after officers deliberately crashed into his bike, has been jailed.

John Ryman, who had false number plates fitted to his high-performance Honda Fireblade superbike, swerved in and out of traffic in a bid to give his pursuers the slip.

And at one stage, the 36-year-old, who has three previous convictions for dangerous or reckless driving, two for drink-driving and numerous speeding offences, tore through a residential area of West Swindon at more than twice the speed limit.

But he was brought down with a bump when a chasing police patrol deliberately clipped the bike's rear wheel.

The 11-mile chase took only about six minutes from start to finish, a court heard, making the average speed more than 100mph.

Now he has been jailed for eight months, banned from the road for three years and had his motorcycle confiscated. Simon Brenchley, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court the incident started at the Esso garage on Malmesbury Road, Chippenham, at lunchtime on Tuesday, March 16.

The bike, sporting false number plates, sped away from the service station after filling up with £13.90 of petrol.

Shortly after 1.30pm a police patrol spotted the bike as it overtook them in the eastbound carriageway of the M4. The patrol switched on sirens and blue lights but the bike accelerated away.

"The police patrol accelerated to 135mph but the bike still pulled away from the police car," Mr Brenchley said.

"The bike was seen to move frequently between lanes two and three, overtaking and undertaking slower moving traffic."

He said as they approached junction 16 for West Swindon the police patrol was doing 140mph when the bike swerved across all three lanes on to the slip road to leave the motorway.

The bike then went along Great Western Way at more than 100mph before going the wrong way up Bodiam Drive, a one-way road, into a residential area.

After Ryamn tore through the built-up area at more than 60mph and tried to escape across a grass verge, police decided to end the chase on Affleck Close by making a "tactical contact" with the bike.

Mr Brenchley said Ryman was convicted in 1991 for reckless driving and in 1994 and 1997 for dangerous driving. He also has convictions for speeding, driving while disqualified, drink-driving, deception and not having insurance.

When questioned he told police he had false number plates to avoid being identified by speed cameras.

Ryman, of Uxbridge Road, Stanmore, Middlesex, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, theft, failing to stop, fraudulent use of a registration mark and having no insurance or licence.

Robin Shellard, defending, said: "Mr Ryman has, I think he would be the first to accept it, a great love of motorcycles. It is not only how he gets his pleasure but also how he earns his living. For 16 years he has been a despatch rider."

He said that in 1997 he had a £10,000 motorcycle confiscated by the court and the false plates he used were from that machine.

Whatever the sentence he said the compulsory ban from the road would have a big impact on his life.

Jailing Ryman, Judge John McNaught said: "It is the fourth occasion you have been convicted of reckless or dangerous driving."

As well as jailing him for eight months he banned him from the road for three years, ordered he take an extended retest before he gets his licence back and forfeit the bike.

Tom Morton