A MAN whose dad was killed in a horror car smash almost 12 years ago has been jailed for his own latest piece of dangerous driving.

Charlie Gunning was just an 11-year-old lad when he lost his father Ricky, who was a passenger in a car being driven by his cousin which ploughed into a roundabout.

Despite having never held a licence the 23-year-old, himself a father-of-two, has a history of driving convictions.

Now after admitting leading police on a high speed chase through town centre traffic, ending when he hit another car, he has been jailed for 15 months.

Judge Robert Pawson, sitting at Swindon Crown Court, told him "For the memory of your father and for your children, you have got to change."

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, said police in an unmarked car spotted an Audi A4 on Canal Road, Trowbridge, just after 11am on February 21.

They were initially concerned as the driver was on the phone, she said, and moved in to stop it when they found it was only insured for a female driver.

As officers turned on the police sign and put on the sirens, the Audi estate sped away down the busy town centre roads.

It went at 50mph in the 30mph zone outside Trowbridge Hospital then continued past the town's health centre at speed.

The car reached 60mph in another 30mph area and went the wrong side of a keep left bollard before twice going the wrong way up one way roads.

Miss Hingston said the chase came to an end when the Audi pulled into the car park of the Wesley Road Social Club, smashing into the side of another vehicle.

The driver then jumped out and fled but was arrested soon after, claiming a mate called 'Chucky' was driving and he ran away as he had 'some weed' on him.

Gunning, of Shakespeare Road, Royal Wootton Bassett, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.

At the time he was on post-sentence supervision after being jailed last year for dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.

Tony Bignall, defending, said as he grew up Gunning worked with cars but never got his licence and now had a job as a chef in Bradford on Avon and realised he had to change.

Mr Bignall said his employers think enough of him to take him back after his last jail spell and have said they will do so again.

He said Gunning had told him 'I don't want to end up like my father', adding he planned to get a push bike when he is released.

Jailing Gunning and banning him from the road for three years and six weeks, Judge Robert Pawson said "You are still young, you have expressed remorse.

"The problem with your expressing remorse is one of the aggravating features is your record, which is appalling. They include driving while disqualified and dangerous driving."

Royal Wootton Bassett man Ricky Gunning was 35 when he was the passenger in a Jaguar XJ Sport being driven by his cousin Dean Gunning, then 25.

The motorist was over the limit and speeding when the car smashed into the Yarnbrook roundabout on the A350 near Trowbridge in April 2007.