A 26-year-old man who drove over the top of a main Shropshire roundabout at speeds of up to 90mph during a police chase has escaped an immediate prison sentence.

Mohammed Malji drove over the Heathgates roundabout in Shrewsbury during the chase in the early hours of July 25 last year, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard yesterday.

Malji, of Odessa Road, London, previously admitted dangerous driving and was yesterday sentenced to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for two years. No separate penalty was handed down for a failing to stop offence, which he had also admitted.

He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to do 125 hours of unpaid work and pay £192 court costs.

Miss Claire Coley, prosecuting, said police were called to the Tesco petrol station in Battlefield at 3.15am but when they arrived Malji sped off in his Golf. She said: “The Golf accelerated through red lights and drove towards Shrewsbury doing up to 90mph in a 40mph limit. The Golf went through a third set of red lights by Morrisons before entering the Heathgates Island.

“He went straight over the Heathgates island without slowing, he went through the flowerbeds and came out on the other side.”

The court heard the car then slowed on Telford Way, allowing police to pull up beside the car, which then turned and collided with them before Malji was arrested.

Mr Sean Brogan, for Malji, said he had already been jailed for 14 days for a bail act offence in connection with this case and had served a further seven days on remand.

He said: “He appears before you today humbled after that experience.”

Judge Robin Onions told Malji: “You went down that road without any regard for any other road user, you must have been going at a considerable speed to be able to drive straight over Heathgates roundabout.”