Banned motorist Stephen Saunders who led police on a four mile high-speed chase and then lied about driving the car, has been jailed for two and a half years.

Saunders, of Neald Crescent, who has a long history of offending, was already on bail for dangerous driving when he sped away from officers in Chippenham.

He then led the pursuing officers in a 90mph pursuit which came to an end when the BMW he was in was found crashed into a wall by officers who had held back from the chase.

But when the 30-year-old and his 18-year-old girlfriend Laura Richards were arrested, after they were found hiding in undergrowth, he claimed that she was driving.

However he later changed his story and accepted that he was behind the wheel during the chase which took place on October 5.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said Saunders was first arrested in August when he was seen driving a Peugeot 405 erratically in the Redlands area of Chippenham.

A passer-by saw the vehicle doing a number of handbrake turns and speeding at what he thought was between 40mph to 45mph in a 30mph residential area. The pedestrian called the police who arrested Saunders at a nearby house.

When taken to the police station, Saunders was found to be one and half times over the drink drive limit and in possession of a small amount of cannabis.

Mr Meeke said Saunders had been freed on bail when he was spotted at the wheel of the red D-reg BMW by an off duty police woman. She called colleagues and a constable in a patrol car saw the vehicle in the Hungerdown Lane area and gave chase.

Saunders pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and without insurance. He also admitted one count of perverting the course of justice and possessing class B drugs.

Richards, who lives with her co-defendant, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a disqualified driver and was given an 18-month conditional discharge.

As well as jailing Saunders for 30 months, Recorder Ian Lawrie banned him from the road for two years.