A LANDLORD who sparked a high speed car chase as he tried to get away from police was today (Friday) branded an idiot by a judge. Simon Lee, 34, who runs The Chequers pub in High Street, Stevenage with his wife, was spotted driving erratically on the A1

A LANDLORD who sparked a high speed car chase as he tried to get away from police was today (Friday) branded an "idiot" by a judge.

Simon Lee, 34, who runs The Chequers pub in High Street, Stevenage with his wife, was spotted driving erratically on the A1M near Hatfield on May 22.

Lee, who does not even hold a driving licence, swerved between lanes at up to 90 miles per hour as police tried to pull him over.

Judge John Farnworth was shown a video taken from the front of the police car which showed the terrifying chase that lasted almost 10 minutes.

Luton Crown Court heard that Lee had "panicked" when he saw the marked car and attempted to evade arrest as he was already on bail for stealing from an employer. He also had a string of driving convictions to his name.

Judge Farnworth told him: "I've just seen you driving. It's the driving of an immature kid. It's a scandal.

"You put other road users at risk and put your wife at risk as she was in the car with you.

"You had plenty of opportunities to stop, but you carried on.

"Everyone in this room who pays motor insurance pays more because of idiots like you."

The father of two pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and Judge Farnworth sentenced him to 24 weeks in custody suspended for two years.

He also put him under a supervision order for two years, disqualified him from driving for two years and ordered that he pay �245 costs.