A DRUG dealing danger driver who tore through Greenock at 80mph during a police chase before jumping from his moving car has been banned from the roads for a record 20 YEARS.

Kriss McIntosh — who had a knife, cocaine, amphetamine and £880 in cash in the Ford Focus — later sprayed police with their own PAVA incapacitant liquid during a violent struggle.

The 34-year-old is today beginning a 42-month prison sentence after a sheriff described his criminal record — including seven previous dangerous driving convictions — as 'horrific'.

The 20-year ban — delivered by lawman Joseph Hughes as McIntosh hung his head and sighed heavily — is thought to be the longest disqualification period ever imposed in Scotland.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard how a 'panicked' McIntosh initially sparked the pursuit at Maple Road around 4.30am on January 17 after coming across the police and speeding off.

Prosecutor Laura Wilcox told how he reversed his car fully 50 metres before doing a u-turn and accelerating sharply, ignoring blue lights and sirens and running two red traffic lights.

Fiscal depute Miss Wilcox said: "He continued at speed, forcing the police to drive at 80mph in a 30mph area in order to keep up.

"No brake lights were observed on the accused's vehicle as he drove through the red lights."

The court heard that McIntosh sped into Larkfield, crossing onto the wrong side of the road, braking hard and turning into Cumberland Road — still on the opposite carriageway.

He slowed to around 20mph on Westmorland Road and jumped from the car as it was still moving at the junction with Stafford Road before running towards nearby gardens, the court was told.

Two police officers grabbed him following a brief foot chase but had to call for back-up as McIntosh started to struggle.

Fiscal depute Miss Wilcox said: "An officer's PAVA spray came loose, the accused picked it up and discharged it into his own face.

"PAVA was also sprayed onto the faces of the officers."

The prosecutor added: "He continued to struggle and was only safely secured when other officers arrived."

A 3.5-inch butterfly knife was recovered from McIntosh as well as a carrier bag from the car which contained £1,000-worth of street deal 'wraps' of cocaine and amphetamine, as well as the £880 in cash.

Defence lawyer Aidan Gallagher said: "It was almost a chance meeting with the police vehicle.

"He quickly realised that if he stopped, drugs would be found, so panic set in almost immediately.

"Perhaps through good fortune no-one was injured or killed as a result."

Mr Gallagher added: "It was also fortunate that the officers were not harmed from the discharge of the PAVA spray."

McIntosh was jailed in 2019 after crashing an Audi Q7 through maintenance barriers on a closed road during a police chase and speeding recklessly towards workers — nearly knocking down a pedestrian in the process.

Sheriff Joseph Hughes told him: "You are a young man and your record is horrific."

The sheriff imposed 20 months imprisonment for the dangerous driving offence, stating: "This is with regard to a multiplicity of offences, this being your eighth dangerous driving conviction."

Sheriff Hughes sentenced McIntosh to a total of a further 22 months for reckless discharge of the police PAVA spray, unlawful possession of the knife, and possession of cocaine and amphetamine with intent to supply.

He told him: "In my opinion all of these should be consecutive, so that is a total of 42 months."