A man with no driving licence tried to lose police by racing through residential streets, at more than double the speed limit a court heard.

Shane Gunn, 24, was driving a black Seat Leon down Cowley Road in Oxford and caught sight of a police car coming in the other direction.

On noticing he was being followed by officers, he sped along Bartholomew Road at 50mph – its speed limit is 20mph – and drove over Blackbird Leys Bridge at 60mph.

The pursuit only finished because he had driven down a dead end. Realising he had nowhere to go, he jumped out the car and threw a bag of cannabis into a hedge. He was caught by officers and the drugs were recovered.

Gunn, of Cowley Road, said later he had ‘panicked’ and rushed off because he had cannabis in his car and he was afraid of being caught with it when he first saw the officers at about 11.05am on June 25.

Police had started to follow the Seat because they found it was registered to Gunn, who had just a provisional licence.

Defending Gunn, Stuart Dingle said he was a “troubled man” who was looking forward to being a father for the first time with his girlfriend. He had also secured himself a job as a labourer.

Gunn has previous convictions but none of the previous four were motoring-related.

Mr Dingle said: “He is expecting a child in January next year. He is trying to be a family man and this was a moment of pure panic when he sped away from the police.”

“This is not a young man who needs to go to prison. He appreciates how dangerous and wrong his behaviour was.”

Sitting at Oxford Crown Court Mr Recorder Andrew Burrows QC said the offences were so serious only a custodial sentence would be sufficient – but that it could be suspended.

He handed Gunn a 24-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. He will need to complete a rehabilitation activity requirement of 30 days over the next 12 months.

Gunn will also need to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and pay a £115 victim surcharge.

He has been disqualified for the mandatory period of 12 months and will have his licence endorsed. Once his ban has finished and he wants to get behind the wheel again, he must take an extended retest.

Gunn had earlier admitted charges of dangerous driving, driving without a licence and without insurance and being in possession of cannabis at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on July 10.