A PERSISTENT offender has been locked up for two years after tearing across a children's play area in a stolen van.

Disqualified driver David Joynes was arrested after a police pursuit that ended when the vehicle got stuck in a play area at Kenilworth Drive, Darlington, and he tried to hide in bushes.

Following his arrest, in May, Joynes, 27, of Marshall Street, Darlington, also twice racially abused a police officer.

Richard Bennett, prosecuting told yesterday's hearing at Teesside Crown Court that he was spotted driving the Ford Escort van by a police officer and he raced off at up to 60mph in residential areas.

Joynes pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, two charges of racially aggravated abuse of a police officer and driving without insurance.

His barrister, Robin Turton, said in mitigation: "He regrets deeply what he has done and realises how stupid he was."

Joynes, who has 119 previous convictions, was under the influence of amphetamines at the time of the offence, Mr Turton said.

Judge David Bryant sentenced him to a total of 24 months, with 15 months to run concurrently for the aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving and three months for dangerous driving, and nine months to run consecutively for the two racial abuse charges.

He was ordered to return to prison for an additional 531 days for breaching his licence from an earlier sentence.