A CRIMINAL was blasted by a judge who condemned him for “one of the worst cases of dangerous driving a court has ever seen”.

Simon Dickey led police on a high-speed chase on Newport’s Southern Distributor Road (SDR) as well as Hendre Farm Drive, Llanwern Road and Christchurch Road.

It was a “miracle” no one was killed after the 35-year-old wrote off a Vauxhall Zafira car after crashing his BMW into it.

Other motorists were "forced to either stop or move out of his way" as Dickey sped through the city when the streets were busy with traffic and passengers.

Prosecutor Tom Roberts said the defendant drove at 60mph in a 30mph zone in a residential area and went the wrong way around a roundabout.

He was only brought to a stop after the police used a stinger device.

Dicky and another man, his passenger, fled the scene before he was arrested shortly after.

The defendant had carried on driving even after smashing into the Zafira.

The police pursuit took place over nearly 10 minutes just after 8pm on September 6.

Dickey had first been spotted by an officer speeding in Llanwern.

The defendant of Brynderwen Road, Newport, admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how Dickey has 47 previous convictions for 107 offences.

These included two for dangerous driving and five for driving while disqualified.

William Bebb, representing the defendant, admitted: “This was a sustained and serious case of dangerous driving and he’s realistic about the sentence.

“By far his best mitigation are his guilty pleas entered at the earliest possible opportunity.”

His barrister said Dickey had met an “intoxicated” friend that day who he was taking to hospital because his pregnant girlfriend who was there “having issues” with her unborn baby.

He “foolishly” got behind the wheel despite being banned and “panicked” when he saw the police.

Mr Bebb said Dickey had managed to get his life back on track recently and was working at a garage in Pill and was in a relationship with a woman who had a good influence on him.

The judge, Recorder Christopher Felstead, told the defendant: “Your driving was frankly utterly appalling and some of the worst this court has seen.

“It is a miracle, and it is only luck, no one was killed or seriously injured, whether that was a pedestrian, you, your passenger, or the police officer chasing you.”

Dickey was jailed for 16 months and banned from driving for three years and eight months.

He was told he would have to pass an extended retest if ever wants to drive again.