A dance teacher who led police on a car chase through a busy town centre has been jailed for a year.

Banned driver Mark West, 32, of Crockford Gardens, Kidlington, who had 11 previous convictions for driving while disqualified, drove through streets at up to 70mph as he tried to escape police, a judge was told.

The married father-of-five sped away after officers saw him driving in Newbury on April 14 this year. West led them on a high-speed chase, overtaking cars on bends and driving the wrong way around roundabouts.

West, who teaches break-dancing, had also been arrested for driving while disqualified and for having no insurance on February 19 in Kidlington. He admitted two counts of driving whilst disqualified, two counts of having no insurance and one count of dangerous driving.

Sentencing West at Reading Crown Court yesterday, Judge Charles Elly said: "You tried to get away and were driving dangerously.

The court heard that West also runs a car valeting business and works as a club bouncer.