A TEEN banned driver who clocked up 120mph in a police motorway chase around midnight has been jailed for a year.

Burnley Crown Court was told how Ali Khan, who also reached 110mph on a 50mph road in his Mazda RX-8, got from Failsworth in Manchester to the Burnley area in 17 minutes.

Police eventually put down a stinger, but even then he carried on, trying to ram patrol cars, but was eventually boxed in. He had also been seen behind the wheel by officers just two days before, but had driven off and escaped.

Father-to-be Khan now has two convictions for dangerous driving and three for disqualified driving and is still only 19.

The defendant, of William Street, Brierfield, had earlier admitted driving while disqualified on August 8. He had also been committed for sentence by Pennine magistrates,after being convicted of dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and no insurance on August 10. He was banned for 12 months and must take an extended test.

Sarah Griffin, prosecuting, said Khan was banned for a year last December, after being convicted of dangerous driving. He had been sent to detention for a total of six months for the offence, which took place in April last year and for driving while disqualified, committed last October.

On August 8, this year, he reversed his car around a corner and made off when spotted by police. In the early hours of August 10, police tried to stop him as he went at about 80mph on a 40 mph road in Failsworth.

He failed drove through a red light onto the M60, travelling at up to 120mph, swerving between lanes. The defendant sped onto the M66, flashing cars to get out of his way and then went onto the A56, driving at 110mph in a 50mph zone.

Miss Griffin said police eventually put down a stinger, but he continued to drive and tried to swerve into police vehicles. Khan was arrested at 12.20am, 17 minutes after the pursuit began. The defendant told police he was a banned driver and he smelled of drink. Khan, who made no comment when questioned, had seven previous offences on his record.

Philip Holden, for Khan, said he had had a couple of drinks before the August 10 offences, but was just under the legal limit.

The barrister continued :" He is still only 19 and he has a great deal of growing up to do. It was very dangerous. There is no doubt about that."

Sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt told the defendant: "Such offences are far too serious and there are too many of them for me to do anything other than send you to prison."