An uninsured driver panicked when a garda stopped him this week.

A high-speed escapade of dangerous driving at the height of ‘school-run’ time on a Friday afternoon could have resulted in far more serious consequences, a judge said as he banned a motorist for 10 years and jailed him for two years.

Dangerous high-speed driving across North Cork in a stolen car at around 11am forced gardaí and people working on the roads to jump to safety, a court has heard.