A CAR thief who led pursuing police the wrong way down the same dual carriageway two days running was jailed yesterday.

Anthony Byrne, 26, sent cars and lorries scattering on the A19 in County Durham, reaching speeds of more than 100mph, before he did a U-turn over the central reservation.

He was finally run to a halt after police brought in their spotter plane on November 18 last year, said prosecutor Shaun Dodds, at Teesside Crown Court.

Even then Byrne pretended he had a gun and threatened to shoot the nearest officer, before he was overpowered.

Byrne, who escaped police the previous day in a silver Nissan Bluebird with false plates, already had convictions for vehicle theft, dangerous driving and resisting police.

Byrne, of Newholme Estate, Station Town, was jailed for two years and three months, and also disqualified for four years after he pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and affray on November 18 last, and dangerous driving and driving while disqualified the next day.