A DRIVER who was jailed after nearly mowing down two elderly women has been spared prison for a catalogue of 12 other serious road traffic offences.

Dean Rodger — who tore along a residential street at more than 60mph at one point — has been told he must complete 300 hours of unpaid work within a year, or be locked up again.

Rodger, 25, is currently banned from driving for seven years after a sheriff declared that his offending behind the wheel was likely to result in deaths if it wasn't addressed.

He failed to stop for police then drove off at 'high speed' and executed turns without indicating.

He lost control of his car multiple times causing it to mount pavements.

Rodger also drove the silver-coloured Volkswagen Golf on the wrong sides of a series of roads in Greenock and in excess of 50mph and 60mph in numerous 30mph zones.

He committed the offences on Auchmead Road, Warwick Road, Essex Road, Burns Road, Flatterton Road, Davaar Road, Dalriada Road and Mars Road on July 28 last year.

The Telegraph told four months ago how Rodger, in another bout of dangerous driving, had to swerve to avoid hitting two OAP pedestrians as they crossed at Manor Crescent in Gourock.

He was already subject to two road bans at the time, the latest of which was imposed less than two months before the incident involving the pensioners.

Rodger was jailed in May for that and bolting from police and community wardens, as well as performing dangerous u-turns on January 18 this year.

Back in 2017 Rodger forced pedestrians on a pavement in Greenock to scatter to avoid being struck after he careered a van carrying cannabis for onward supply onto the footpath during a police chase.

Sentencing him, Sheriff Derek Hamilton remarked: "I note that it was simply good fortune that pedestrians and other drivers were not injured.

"It seems to me that if you continue to drive in this manner someone will be severely injured, or something more tragic will happen."

Rodger — a former university computer science student — had already been given the 300 hours unpaid for the July 2018 offences but the order was interrupted by his prison sentence.

Sheriff Andrew McIntyre reimposed the community payback punishment and placed him under supervision for three years.

Rodger will also be electronically tagged to remain at home between 7pm and 7am each day for eight months.

The sheriff told him: "If you do not comply, you will be back here and in these circumstances it is likely that you will be sent to prison."

A review hearing has been set for October 23.