A MAN who evaded capture in a high-speed police chase - despite never having taken a driving lesson - has been banned from getting behind the wheel again.

Lyndon Davies, 28, has been sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court for dangerous driving, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

Father-of-three Davies, of Albany Road, Blackwood, got behind the wheel of his dad’s car just after 10am on July 25, 2023.

An on-duty Gwent Police officer spotted the Citroen C2 on Parkway and pursued it along a single-carriage country lane with wooden fences on either side.

Finding himself in a car park, Davies completed a perfect reverse parking manoeuvre which seemed to dupe the officer into taking his foot off the gas and allow him to continue his getaway.

The officer activated his blue lights and reached speeds of 74mph on 30mph road in an effort to keep up.

Davies took a sharp right turn into another narrow road, hitting speeds of around 40mph alongside a row of parked cars and at least one bewildered pedestrian.

In dashcam footage shown to the court, Davies can be seen ditching his car on the side of a country lane and completing his escape through a bush.

The officer discovered Davies’ dad in the rear sat of the abandoned car and another in the passenger seat. He also reported a “strong smell of cannabis” but there was no suggestion it had been taken by the impromptu driver.

There was also no evidence of damage or injury from the chase, including the abrupt stop.

Davies had three previous convictions relating to criminal damage, drugs and disorderly behaviour but these were his first driving offences.

The following day, he handed himself into police and gave full admissions to the offences in an interview.

His defence lawyer said: “It was a misguided attempt to stop his father from driving the vehicle and consuming alcohol.”

Davies’ partner works as a full-time carer which means he is responsible for taking their children, ages 11, eight and five, to school, picking them up and other parental responsibilities.

Judge Alun Eynon-Evans said he would have probably killed a pedestrian or cyclist if there had been one on the road during the chase.

He concluded: “It was just fortune that no one was injured in this offence."

Davies was disqualified from driving for 12 months and must pass an extended test before he can obtain a licence.

He was also sentenced to 22 weeks in custody for dangerous driving for 18 months, with no separate sentences for driving without insurance or licence.

He must complete 70 hours of unpaid work within 12 months and 10 days of rehabilitation activity.