A MAN who has racked up SIX dangerous driving convictions has been jailed and hammered with a 12-year roads ban following his latest offence.

Christopher McIntosh nearly mowed down a pedestrian as he sped away from police in the wrong direction down a one-way street in Port Glasgow — clattering through traffic cones and barriers.

The already disqualified motorist — jailed only last June over another terrifying chase — 'panicked' when he saw a passing patrol car, Greenock Sheriff Court was told.

Lawyer Aidan Gallagher said: "He seems to have a fascination for cars and driving."

The court heard how McIntosh had taken his pal's Audi A3 Quattro for a 'test drive' on April 22 last year after repairing it for him.

Prosecutor Claire Rowan said: "Two police officers immediately recognised the accused as a disqualified driver.

"He drove at high speed and turned into a narrow lane behind houses on Boglestone Avenue.

"Police activated blue lights and their siren and the accused continued at excessive speed towards the Boglestone roundabout.

"He drove in the wrong direction in a one-way street, mounted the pavement and struck traffic cones and barriers.

"He narrowly avoided a male pedestrian, who had to jump out of the way.

"The accused showed disregard to numerous members of the public."

The officers 'terminated the pursuit' for public safety reasons, the court was told, and traced McIntosh later after he engaged in 'actively avoiding the police'.

He committed the offence just three months after crashing his mother's Audi Q7 through maintenance barriers on a closed road as he hurtled towards roads workers whilst being chased.

McIntosh nearly knocked down a pedestrian on that occasion as well and risked a catalogue of collisions as he tore through junctions without stopping and drove on the wrong side of the road and on pavements in Greenock.

Solicitor Mr Gallagher told Sheriff Andrew McIntyre: "The record is there for your Lordship to see and I can make no submission on his record.

"He has some skills in mechanics and the vehicle came into his possession in order to carry out repairs.

"Rather than leave the vehicle where it was, he decided to drive it.

"Whether it was a test drive or not, he drove.

"When he saw the police he panicked, and in that panic he has driven in the manner described.

"It was through good fortune alone that no-one was injured."

Among dad-of-one McIntosh's previous convictions is one for drunk-driving, which resulted in a three-year disqualification.

Sheriff McIntyre told him: "This, in my opinion, is very serious in its own right because of the way you drove so dangerously and put people at risk.

"That patently shows that you are a danger.

"But this is your sixth conviction for dangerous driving and it is exceptionally worrying, over all these years, that you continue to go and drive dangerously.

"The risk, if you go on like this, is that someone will be seriously harmed or killed by your conduct."

As well as the 12-year ban McIntosh, formerly of the Port's Benview Road, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.