A BANNED motorist who contemplated suicide as he led police on a high speed chase along the A420 has been jailed for 14 months.

Nathan Pitts said he thought about pulling in front of an HGV as he sped away from police on the high speed chase.

But the 27-year-old thought better of it and continued for 17 miles, only stopping when officers threw a stinger device across the road.

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court he first came to the attention of the police when he left a service station in Northampton without paying for fuel.

About 24 hours later the van was spotted in the darkness near Gablecross police station at about 8.30pm on Wednesday November 2.

Officers in a patrol car put on their blue lights and sirens and followed as the vehicle headed off in the direction of Oxford.

It accelerated to speeds of up to 80mph for the 17-and-a-half mile chase, which was completed in about 17 minutes.

She said that the van repeatedly went on the wrong side of the road, causing other drivers to swerve to avoid it, some mounting the grass verge to get out of the way.

And it went straight across the Watchfield roundabout causing the driver of another car to do an emergency stop to avoid a collision.

"It was eventually stopped by a stinger device being deployed across the road. It came to a stop. He immediately said he needed help," she said.

"When interviewed he said for part of the pursuit he had considered committing suicide by driving in front of an HGV coming the other way.

"He said he had borrowed the van from a friend. He said he thought committing suicide would be a selfish thing to do."

Pitts, of Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop, two counts of driving while disqualified and without insurance.

The court heard he had previous convictions for 39 offences including dangerous driving and aggravated taking without consent.

Alex Daymond, defending, said "He, like many other who come before these courts, has had a pretty terrible upbringing.

"That had an impact on his thinking and the commission of these offences. He has used drugs, as is often the case, to block out the harsh realities of his life and his own personality. But it just makes matters worse."

Despite being in prison on remand for three months he said he had managed to stay off drugs and will be supported by friends when he is released.

Jailing him and banning him from the road for three years Recorder Robert Pawson said "Your driving was pretty appalling. I appreciate your mental state was such that you were contemplating suicide.

"The fact is you were driving at 70 or 80mpoh on a 50mph road. There was a police car behind you: you drove on for more than 15 miles.

"At least one car was forced to do an emergency stop on that roundabout. It doesn't bear thinking about."