POLICE who stopped a stolen car after a high-speed chase found a three-year-old child sitting in the back seat.

Driver Keith Dominey, 28, who was discovered hiding in bushes, was a banned driver.

But Dominey, who was on probation at the time, has walked free from court.

Sam Butterfield, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that the keys to the Honda Civic had been stolen from a changing room locker at Westbury.

Shortly afterwards officers in a patrol car saw the vehicle with Dominey at the wheel and a woman passenger.

The Honda accelerated along The Mead in Westbury towards the Co-op and tackled the roundabout without stopping.

Dominey sped away at 80mph, overtaking eight vehicles while entering a blind dip before returning to the correct side of the road.

The car continued along the A350 towards Yarnbrook, overtaking in the face of oncoming traffic, causing a bus and four other vehicles to swerve out of the way.

After going through the residential part of Yarnbrook at 85mph he overtook a line of stationary traffic before entering and exiting the wrong side of a roundabout.

A police helicopter joined the chase, and the car eventually stopped.

Mr Butterfield said: "The vehicle and the female passenger were then found in Edington along with her three-year-old son. The defendant was found hiding in bushes nearby."

Dominey had convictions for assault, drugs matters, theft, attempted burglary and driving offences.

At an earlier hearing Dominey, of Partridge Way, Salisbury, admitted aggravated taking without consent, driving while disqualified and without insurance.

Mark Ashley, defending, said drugs were behind all of his client's offending but in custody he had de-toxed.

Judge John McNaught said: "It was a terrible bit of driving this. The less said about it the better. Thankfully no-one was killed or injured."

He told him he ought to be passing a prison term but time served on remand meant he could give him a drug treatment and testing order.