A man who reached more than 130mph as he fled from police on a dual carriageway – with a seven-year-old boy in his car – has today been jailed for a total of two-and-a-half years.

Banned driver Lucas Needham, 26, admitted dangerous driving on the A55 in May - and also admitted dangerous driving four months earlier when he drove at about 100 mph and rammed into another car.

Needham, of Linden Avenue, Connah’s Quay, was banned from driving for three years, which starts on his release from prison.

Judge Niclas Parry, sitting at Mold Crown Court, told him: "It is difficult to imagine behaviour far more irresponsible then shown by you on May 20."

Knowing he was driving while disqualified and without insurance "you realised police had clocked you" and he embarked on "a shocking piece of driving."

He reached speeds of 130mph in a 70mph area and drove at an excessive speed in a 30mph - at one stage switching off his lights.

It was a police chase where he ignored warnings.

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

But inside the car police found a boy of seven.

"It is utter shameful that you had such utter disregard for his well being," the judge said.

Five months earlier he had been arrested for dangerous driving after he crashed into another vehicle at high speed.

He lost control, there was a collision with significant damage and he left another driver 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.

Needham received 13 months 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.

Defending barrister Andrew Green said his client 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," he added.

Jo Maxwell told how the defendant had driven at up to 100mph in January, a witness saw him fly past her in an Astra and he lost control on the Ewloe Loop and ran into the back of a BMW.

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

The driver of the car suffered whiplash and other injuries, had been off work and had lost income.

Last month the defendant admitted dangerous driving in a Vauxhall Vectra on the A55 eastbound on May 20.

An earlier hearing was told that during a police chase he reached speeds of 130mph.

At one stage he drove at speed, without lights, on a dark stretch of road.

Police 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.

A traffic PC was then sent in pursuit of the car which left the A55 at Caerwys.

Following sentencing, 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.”