A BANNED driver who tried to escape police by driving along Bradshawgate, Bolton, at 90mph has been jailed for 16 months.

Daniel Barker was still subject to a disqualification for a previous dangerous and drink-driving offence when he bought a car and was spotted driving it by police in Bolton town centre at 1.10am on May 25.

Duncan Wilcock, prosecuting, told Bolton Crown Court how Barker's Ford Mondeo came to the attention of officers in Orlando Street for driving slightly too fast and having a defective rear light.

But when they tried to stop the vehicle, Barker sped off into Manchester Road and through a red light.

Mr Wilcock added that in Bradshawgate, which has a 30mph limit and is often packed with pedestrians attending bars and clubs, 28-year-old Barker sped along at 90mph before heading down Bank Street and into Bow Street, Bridge Street and Topp Way, where he drove on the wrong side of the carriageway.

Barker than turned on to the A666, coming off at Bradford Street, before dumping the car in Bromwich Street and attempting to run off.

The driver was caught and arrested by police following the five-minute pursuit and records revealed he was subject to a driving ban.

Mr Wilcock added that Barker smelled of alcohol and initially refused to complete a roadside breath test, but a subsequent test revealed he was over the drink-drive limit.

"He accepted that he had been driving in the early hours of the morning and accepted his driving was dangerous," said Mr Wilcock.

"He was coming towards the end of his disqualification and said he had bought a car in anticipation of that."

The defendant claimed he had "panicked" as he knew he should not have been driving.

Barker, of Grace Street, Horwich, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, drink driving and driving whilst banned.

The court heard that his previous convictions included a 20-month ban for drink-driving in 2009 and in September, 2012 he was jailed for 14 months and banned from the roads for five years for dangerous and drink-driving.

Matthew Howarth, defending, said Barker was a mechanic and had bought the Mondeo to fix and sell on, but the father-of-one had lost his temper following an argument and had driven.

He added: "Mercifully there was not an accident and it was in the early hours of the morning."

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Timothy Clayson jailed Barker for 16 months, telling him he accepted he worked hard but that he also "drinks too much and puts other people at risk".

He added that, while there was no evidence anyone was affected by his driving on Bradshawgate, "You were putting anyone who was there and, indeed yourself, at huge risk.

"You need to spend every possible minute while in prison trying to sort out the problems between you and and alcohol."