A banned driver who led police on a 140mph motorway chase has been jailed.

Dad-of-one Craig Falconer had only just bought the Yamaha motorcycle in Scunthorpe and was riding it back to Hull when police clocked him riding at 120mph.

Police followed him before turning on the blue lights and sirens but Falconer refused to stop.

At one point he slowed and moved on to the hard shoulder only then to speed away when the police officer did the same.

In all, the pursuit lasted 16 miles along the M180 and on towards the Humber Bridge before police lost him.

Falconer, 28, appeared at Hull Crown Court this week for sentencing having previously admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

The court was shown dashcam footage from the police car which showed Falconer speeding along past other vehicles on the motorway on May 25 this year.

The speedometer on the police car shows they reached speeds of more than 140mph but after a while even the police car could not keep up and he lost Falconer close to the Humber Bridge junction.

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CCTV captured him speeding across the Humber Bridge even though there were roadworks in the area.

He was arrested the next day and made no comment.

Falconer, of Baker Street in Hull city centre, was disqualified from driving at the time and has a horrendous record which includes four convictions for drink driving.

Henry Bloomfield, defending Falconer, told the court: “He is a hard-working man who was working for a manufacturer in a role of responsibility.

“He has not seen his son for three months because the boy’s mother is having to self-isolate.

“He decided to buy the bike as a project to keep his mind off not being able to see his son.

“He had organised for someone to pick the bike up in a van and bring it back but he was let down so decided to buy it and ride it back.

“When he saw the police he panicked. On a few occasions he slowed down to stop but fear got the better of him.

“He realises by continuing this behaviour he could lose his job, accommodation and his relationships.”

But Judge Mark Bury had little sympathy for Falconer due to his long record of driving offences.

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He told Falconer: “You have been disqualified on a number of occasions and you were at the time of this offending.

“You made arrangements to purchase the Yamaha from Scunthorpe and ride it back to Hull. You had no business doing that whatsoever.

“The speed you were going placed in significant danger other road users and yourself. If a vehicle had decided to overtake ahead, you would not have been able to stop and it could have caused many fatalities.

“You even managed to evade the police due to your speed. No one was injured but that is down to luck rather than judgment.

“You have not been given the right message in the past and the time has come for you to receive a significant sentence.”

Falconer was handed a 12-month prison sentence for dangerous driving and four months in prison consecutively for driving while disqualified, totalling 16 months in all. There was no separate penalty for having no insurance. He was also banned from driving for five years.