A former driving instructor led police on a 17-minute chase at up to 120mph in a powerful BMW sports car, a court heard.

Neil Carmichael, 43, mounted kerbs, drove on the wrong side of the road and went the wrong way around a roundabout.

When he was finally caught he had abandoned his car and jumped over fences, Hull Crown Court was told.

Carmichael, of Cartwright House, Micklegate, York, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and obtaining a £10,500 BMW M3 from a Selby car dealer by deception.

He told police he fled because he had not paid for the BMW and wanted to "teach the car dealer a lesson" because it wasn't worth the forecourt price.

Hull Crown Court heard his antics resulted in a collision, and he missed a lorry by two feet.

Prosecuting, Richard Wright said Carmichael had bought a BMW M3 for £10,500 from Specialist Cars of Selby with an initial £500 cash deposit. The firm tried to trace him after his £10,000 cheque was returned, and the police became involved.

Mr Wright said they spotted Carmichael on the forecourt of a BP Garage in Basildon, Essex, on November 20 last year when he made off in the BMW.

"He drove off from the garage, causing other vehicles to swerve," said Mr Wright.

"He drove the wrong way around the roundabout. He mounted the footpath and went on to a road against the flow of traffic, and then drove at approaching 70mph in a 30mph area.

"He hit one car as he passed between two cars on the A127," said Mr Wright.

"He entered the road horizontally causing other vehicles to brake and swerve.

"His car was snaking under acceleration and reached a speed of 110-120mph.

"He entered a 40mph zone at 110mph. He then drove on the wrong side of the road at a speed of 70mph, missing an articulated lorry by two feet."

In mitigation, Susan Smales said four years ago Mr Carmichael had been a driving instructor who lost his job, became a site manager and "went to pot" after his family was struck by a series of cancer tragedies.

She said he accepted he had been very silly and told police he had acted recklessly and dangerously.

Sentencing him to 240 hours' community service for dangerous driving, Judge Timothy Hewitt said: "It was an appalling piece of driving."

He ordered Carmichael should also serve 150 hours of community service concurrently for taking the BMW by deception.

He received a 12-month ban and was ordered to take an extended driving test.

Updated: 10:58 Tuesday, April 03, 2001