A BANNED driver drove the wrong way around a roundabout and collided head-on with another car, a court heard.

Mark Lawless had overtaken an unmarked police car in Atherton as he sped past in a stolen car. When police gave chase Lawless refused to stop and tried to escape at high speed, driving on the wrong side of the road.

He drove so badly that oncoming cars were forced to swerve out of the way. He then drove the wrong way around a roundabout and hit another car head-on. Two women in the other vehicle were severely shocked and one was taken to hospital and treated for a bruised knee.

Lawless ran from the scene but was caught by police officers and arrested.

When Lawless, aged 31, of Langdale Street, Leigh, appeared at Bolton Crown Court for sentence he admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, aggravated vehicle taking, driving without insurance and failing to stop and report an accident.

Judge Gillian Ruaux jailed Lawless for 15 months consecutive to 700 days she ordered he must serve from an outstanding previous sentence.

Convictions

Prosecutor Anne Hughes told the court that Lawless had 23 previous convictions for 40 offences, which included violence, dishonesty and driving misdemeanours.

He received a seven year jail sentence for being the driver of a robbery getaway car and had been released on licence in July last year. He had 1,072 days on licence and had been recalled to prison by the Home Office until April 2004. The sentence will be concurrent to the recall but the 15 month sentence will be consecutive to the 700 days.

Philip Rouse, defending, said Lawless had found the car abandoned after it had been stolen. He used it to go and see his pregnant girlfriend who was unwell.

It had been an impetuous and unplanned crime and he knew he had driven appallingly. He had offered his apologies to his victims.