A DANGEROUS driver who repeatedly flouted motoring bans has found himself behind bars again.

Police spotted Kurt Walmsley coming out of a petrol station in an Astra without any headlights on.

But Walmsley, who was behind the wheel of the car, which was bearing cloned number plates, should not have been driving at all and led officers on a 15 minute chase.

Bolton Crown Court heard how he hurtled along 30mph roads at 90mph, sometimes on the wrong side of the carriageway and ran five red lights.

Judge Timothy Stead, sentencing Walmsley to 12 months in prison, told him his record of driving offences could "scarcely be worse".

Daniel Calder, prosecuting, told how, at 11.45pm on July 10, police spotted an Astra coming out of the petrol station forecourt on Newbrook Road, Over Hulton, without headlights.

"The officer indicated the defendant's vehicle to stop but he did not," said Mr Calder.

"He drove away and a pursuit followed for approximately 15 minutes.

"The defendant drove at speeds up to three times the speed limit, contravened five red traffic lights and at times, drove on the wrong side of the carriageway."

After narrowly avoiding a collision in roadworks on Smith Road, Bickershaw, 29-year-old Walmsley turned into Beacon Road and came to a halt, where he was arrested.

Police then discovered that the car had false plates and Walmsley had no licence or insurance.

Walmsley, of Reeves Street, Leigh, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving whilst banned and having no insurance.

The court heard how he has convictions for 49 previous offences, many of them related to driving, resulting in him serving a 16 week prison sentence.

In March 2018 he was convicted of dangerous driving and then went on to accumulate three further convictions for driving whilst banned.

At the time of the latest offence he was subject to a community order for theft.

Julian Goode, defending, stressed that no one had been injured or property damaged during the pursuit last month and Walmsley immediately accepted his guilt.

"Clearly this was a terrible piece of driving. He says he was stupid and regrets every single bit of it," said Mr Goode.

As well as jailing Walmsley, Judge Stead banned him from applying for a driving licence for three years and five months, after which he will have to take an extended driving test.

"The course of dangerous driving was for many minutes," Judge Stead told Walmsley.