A YOUNG father has avoided jail after leading police officers on an "extremely stupid" chase in his father's Audi.

Gwent Police officers spied Peter Jones, 23, driving the grey Audi in Cwmbran on March 16.

A registration check found the car belonged to a much older man, and when the officers tried to pull over the Audi, Jones twice pretended to come to a stop before accelerating away at speed.

As the police pursued him, Jones drove on the wrong side of the road, swerving back out of the path of oncoming vehicles.

The hearing at Cardiff Crown Court was told that Jones was speeding at 60 miles per hour in a 30mph area.

Byron Broadstock, prosecuting, said Jones drove "straight over a roundabout" in Turnpike Road, hitting a kerb, before bringing the Audi to a stop when he reached a dead-end.

As officers approached the car, he told them: "It's my dad's car. He doesn't know I have it."

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Jones was arrested, and at an earlier court appearance admitted four offences - dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving without insurance, and aggravated vehicle taking.

Scott Bowen, defending, said Jones was a young man of previous clean character.

The offences were committed in "an act of impulse," Mr Bowen said, adding: "It was an extremely stupid decision he made."

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke told Jones his behaviour had been "endangering to other road users" and "put a number of members of the public at risk".

She sentenced Jones, of Newman Road, Trevethin, to a total of eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months.

Jones must complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities and is subject to a curfew for three months.

He was also disqualified from driving for two years, and must pass an extended re-test at the end of that period.