A CLEANER told officials he had "no temptation" to get behind the wheel without a license just days before he tried to drive off from police.

Michael James tried to evade police who were trailing him after poorly driving over the A35 heading towards Totton.

When the Go Outdoors employee realised he was being followed by officers, who put their sirens in a bid to stop him, he then drove quickly off to get away from them.

Finally, the 31-year-old was stopped when he went down a dead end and told by police to stand still as they had a police dog with them.

Natalie Angel, prosecuting, told Southampton Magistrates' Court that this incident breached a similar suspended sentenced order in which he was given eight weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.

She said officers initially saw James driving a Peugeot 106 along the road when they saw him go above the 40mph speed limit and make a sudden turn left in the direction of Totton.

This made them suspicious and while they tracked him, Miss Angel said James "clear made attempts to get away" by driving off at higher speeds.

Miss Angel added: "When they went down Mill Road, officers were concerned he and the two other passengers with him would run off. But police told James to stay where he was. He then admitted to driving without a licence."

James was given a disqualified from driving at his last hearing and told in order for him to get back on the road he must take an extended retest.

He had four earlier convictions for similar offences, including driving while disqualified, dating back to 2007.

The court heard that the situation was made worse as a representative from the Probation Service explained that three days prior to the offence, James told his offender manager he had "no temptation" to get behind the wheel of a car.

Jamie Gammon, mitigating, said James needed help from other services to help him "understand situations better" and stop his offending.

James, of The Mallards, Totton, pleaded guilty to driving without a license, not stopping when ordered to by an officer and driving without insurance.

He was sentenced to 14 weeks imprisonment.