THIEF who sped away from police after he had snatched a woman's bag at Bowood House country park had three small children in his car, a court heard.

David Antill, 37, overtook in the face of oncoming traffic on the A350 near Melksham.

When the car was finally stopped by police, the stolen bag having been thrown out of the window ten miles earlier, his partner, Rachel Steed, 30, was found with a silver heart-shaped Tiffany keyring and a mobile phone which had been in the bag.

The couple, who were both heroin addicts, had been at the country park located between Calne and Chippenham the afternoon of Sunday May 12 last year when the offences took place.

Antill snatched Margaret Spavin's handbag, containing £50 cash along with the keyring, phone and other items, which the victim had left unattended, before they fled the scene.

Helen Khan, prosecuting, said a police patrol spotted the W-reg silver Vauxhall Vectra on the A350 on Beanacre Road, Melksham.

She said despite the officer turning on his blue flashing lights the car sped away and as it approached the Semington bridge it pulled out to overtake cars in the face of oncoming traffic.

She said when the vehicle was finally stopped it was noticed that there were three small children in the back and Steed in the front passenger seat.

Antill, of Kingswood, Bristol, pleaded guilty to theft and dangerous driving and Steed, of Bradley Stoke, Bristol, was found guilty of handling by a jury after she denied the offence.

Annette Vigars, defending Antill, said that her client had got his life together since the offence a year ago.

Antill was ordered to do 60 hours community service and a one-year probation order. He was also banned from the road for a year and will have to sit an extended retest before he can drive again.

Steed was given 80 hours to add to the remainder of a 190-hour order she was already serving. Both were told to pay £50 compensation to Mrs Spavin.