Banned motorist Mark Anthony Mattocks tried to give police the slip when a friend warned him they were around, York magistrates heard.

He drove straight past a patrol car in Crombie Avenue, Clifton.

Today he is starting seven and a half months in jail with 12 convictions for driving whilst disqualified.

"He clearly has a problem with driving and recognising his responsibilities while driving," said his solicitor Jackie Knights.

Mattocks, 26, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failure to appear at court and two charges each of driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance.

Having hearing he had ten previous convictions for driving whilst disqualified, magistrates jailed him for six months and ordered him to serve 42 days extra of a previous sentence for driving whilst disqualified and theft.

They banned him again this time for 12 months and ordered him to retake his driving test.

Prosecutor David Garnett said police gave chase when Mattocks drove past their car at 8.55am on September 6 in a Peugeot 405. After leading them through the back streets off Burtonstone Lane, he escaped on foot.

On September 10, police spotted him driving a Fiat Uno in a Clifton Moor car park at 11.40am. Ignoring their order to get out of the car, he drove off.

They pursued him down Wigginton Road where he "drove erratically and in a dangerous manner causing other road users to go onto the pavement or grass verges," said David Garnett. He also crossed no overtaking lines near a railway crossing and went through a red light.

He escaped by driving into Fountayne Street between the bollards situated to prevent such a manoeuvre, but was arrested ten days later.

Mrs Knights said Mattocks had been sleeping in the Peugeot because he was homeless after leaving prison.

When a friend warned him police were near, and fearing they may think he had been driving, he tried to take the car out of sight.

On September 10, he had popped out to get food at McDonald's, a round journey of less than two miles. The dangerous driving had lasted less than a third of a mile.