A driver who sped through Oxford at 80mph in a vehicle containing stolen goods, ignoring red lights, narrowly missing children and ramming a police van, has been jailed.

Thomas McDonagh, 34, of Carter Close, Risinghurst, was chased by 26 police officers while driving a van containing stolen tools worth more than £1,500 on November 6.

The chase began at 9.20am when police smashed the van's window to try to grab the ignition key, but McDonagh drove off on the A420 from Wootton, Oxford Crown Court heard yesterday. He headed into Oxford and through the city centre.

Rachel Drake, prosecuting, said: "He drove at 60mph in 30 zones and 80mph in 60 zones, jumping red lights, driving on the pavement to get around queuing traffic and using a park-and-ride bus lane towards the Botley Road, and in the centre of town.

"He drove straight across a pedestrian crossing where adults grabbed young children to get them out of the way of his vehicle."

McDonagh hit a parked Honda motorbike before turning into a cul-de-sac, where he attempted to turn and rammed the police van. He ran off, but was pursued by officers who arrested him.

They searched the van and found tools worth £653 which had been stolen from a van in Highworth, Wiltshire, and tools worth £930 stolen from a van in Faringdon.

At an earlier hearing, McDonagh admitted dangerous driving, driving with no insurance, failing to stop after a road accident, handling stolen goods and driving while disqualified.

Judge Julian Hall jailed McDonagh for 18 months for dangerous driving and banned him from holding a driving licence for five years. When the ban ends he will have to take an extended driving test.

For two counts of driving while disqualified, one relating to the chase and another to a suspended sentence, he was given two four-month sentences, to run concurrently to each other, but consecutively with the other jail terms.

He was jailed for six months each for two charges of handling stolen goods, to run concurrently, but consecutively with the other sentences.