A YOUNG father who was pursued by police in two high-speed chases was jailed after a judge told him it was a miracle he hadn’t killed anyone.

Dion Hughes, 21, had taunted officers trying to stop him as he raced through the Gwent Valleys, Newport Crown Court heard.

Nuhu Gobir, prosecuting, said the defendant, who hasn’t passed his test, was guilty of two sets of driving offences.

The first happened at 1.30am on January 21 when Hughes sped through narrow streets in built up areas in Nantyglo and Abertillery after failing to stop for police.

He reached around 70mph in 30mph zones, in poor conditions because of rain, driving on the wrong side of the road during the 10-minute chase.

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Although he was arrested and admitted dangerous driving in a Vauxhall Corsa during his police interview, he was not initially charged and released.

Judge Jeremy Jenkins called this decision “absolutely disgraceful”.

Mr Gobir said the second incident, at around 10.30pm on August 18, saw Hughes again failing to stop after being spotted in Hafodyrynys.

This time, driving a BMW 1 series car, he raced through several sets of red lights as he led police on a 20-minute pursuit.

The chase along the A472 continued into Crumlin and on to the A467 and through Abertillery, Blaina, Nantyglo and Ebbw Vale.

He again drove at 70mph in residential areas where the speed limit was 30mph and was only stopped when he was boxed in by police cars.

Mr Gobir said: “When the defendant was arrested, he asked officers, ‘Am I going to be able to get my car back? It’s a good car.”

Hughes, of Waunheulog, Nantyglo, admitted dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, failing to stop, driving without a licence, driving without insurance and driving without an MOT certificate.

He had three previous convictions for six offences which included driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

Jeffrey Jones, mitigating, asked for his client to be given full credit for his early guilty pleas.

He said Hughes had become a father to a baby daughter just two weeks ago and was working as a supermarket shelf stacker earning £280 a week.

Judge Jenkins told the defendant: “During the second chase, you appeared to taunt the police officer chasing you by flashing your hazard lights as he tried to overtake you.

“How no one was injured or killed is a miracle.

“These were very long pursuits of highly dangerous driving.”

The judge said how he had read a letter written to him by Hughes’ girlfriend which told him she and her child would suffer if he were jailed.

He told the defendant that would be something he should think about while serving his prison sentence, adding: “You have put your daughter and your partner in a terrible position.

“They are wholly innocent of any wrongdoing. This is down to you.”

Hughes was jailed for 20 months and banned from driving for two years and 10 months.