3:21pm Tuesday 22nd May 2007
By A J Sicluna
A GWENT man who drove the wrong way round a roundabout during a high-speed police chase was jailed.
Daniel Vann, of Usk Court, Cwmbran, drove at speeds up to 70mph through a 30mph residential area, Newport crown court heard.
He mounted a grass verge and a public footpath by Tredegar Park before skidding to a halt.
Judge David Morris said it was only by the "grace of God" nobody was hurt.
Yesterday Vann, 29, was sentenced to 14 months in prison after earlier pleading guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.
He is to serve half his sentence before being released on licence.
Vann was also disqualified from driving for three years.
On August 9 last year Vann, in a green Vauxhall Vectra, left the Gaer estate and turned right onto the A48.
Prosecutor Carl Harrison said the defendant was already disqualified from driving for an earlier offence of drink-driving.
At the junction a police car spotted Vann speeding past, according to Mr Harrison.
"The officers could hear tyres screeching and the vehicle appeared to be off balance," he said.
They gave chase along Cardiff Road and Vann swerved into the path of oncoming traffic.
"He drove around the roundabout in the wrong direction," said Mr Harrison.
"Other road users were swerving to avoid colliding with the vehicle."
After abandoning his car he ran into the grounds of Tredegar Park, which was busy with families, and hid behind steel containers.
But members of the public pointed him out to the police.
Judge David Morris said: "When cornered you became aggressive and abusive and had to be overcome by using spray before you could be arrested."
Simon Goodman, defending, argued his client had not been taking his medication and was not mentally well at the time.
He said a week after the incident Vann was compulsory admitted into hospital under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act.
"While it was a bad piece of driving it wasn't the worst that has been before the courts," said Mr Goodman.
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