A man was jailed for 16 months after a 20 minutes pursuit along narrow country lanes and through villages near Caernarfon which an experienced police sergeant described as one of the worst cases of dangerous driving he’d seen.

Peter Hughes, aged 32, of Cleveland Crescent, Holyhead, drove through two closed farm gates and killed a sheep before he stopped, Caernarfon crown court heard.

He admitted dangerous driving and driving when banned shortly after midnight on August 23. He’d been spotted first by police at Llanrug.

In May last year he got a suspended sentence for dangerous driving.

Judge Timothy Petts said Hughes drove at high speeds on wet roads in Gwynedd to get away from police.

“It’s only through good fortune nobody was injured or killed in this lengthy pursuit,” the judge remarked.

“This is now your eighth conviction for driving while disqualified. It’s clear you have no intention of complying with any disqualification.”

A seven years and two months ban was imposed and forfeiture of a VW Golf was ordered.

Defence counsel Anna Price said Hughes had wanted to see his sister who had given birth unexpectedly. He heard she was in hospital.