A dad of four was on his way to a boot fair to buy things for his children when a police car spotted him speeding on a motorway.

What followed was a 36-mile chase during which learner driver Scott Flisher reached speeds of 120mph.

Eight police cars tried to stop him, including a rolling road block, but each time he managed to evade arrest - ramming the cars and causing £31,611 of damage - before he crashed.

The 25-year-old, who has a criminal record and was on licence at the time, admitted dangerous driving, criminal damage and having no licence and insurance.

He was jailed for 18 months and banned from driving for two years and nine months.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Flisher, of High Street, Rochester, was on his way to a boot fair in Ashford with a passenger just before 6am on August 28 last year when he sped past a police car near Hollingbourne at about 85mph.

The police car driver activated his blue lights and siren to indicate to Flisher to stop, but he accelerated to 110mph.

He left the motorway at junction nine for Ashford and drove through two sets of red lights without stopping before returning to the motorway, this time driving northbound towards London.

Prosecutor Craig Evans said the Seat Leon accelerated to 120mph before a second police car joined the chase at junction seven for Maidstone.

Three more police cars were added at junction six for Aylesford and a further three at junction five for Chatham.

“In total, eight marked police cars were involved in the chase,” Mr Evans told Maidstone Crown Court. “The officers attempted to stop him with a rolling road block at 100mph.

“He evaded it by undertaking and using the hard shoulder at speeds of about 120mph, narrowly avoiding a collision.”

At one point, Flisher threw a crowbar out of his window.

He left the motorway at junction four for Leybourne and lost control of the car and crashed onto the central verge.

Attempts were made to box him in but Flisher “rammed his way out”. An officer who had approached on foot had to leap out of the way to avoid injury.

Flisher drove another 30 metres before being pinned against railings. He then jumped over them and ran across the carriageway before being caught.

Recorder Mark Van Der Zwart said others were put at risk from the “appalling driving” which lasted up to 20 minutes.

“Your record shows you are a regular offender - theft, burglary, criminal damage, public disorder, assaulting people,” he said.

“It is not the first time you have been found to be driving dangerously. You have failed to comply with court orders. That gives me no hope at all if I passed a community order you would comply with it.”

Flisher, who used to live at Hendry House in Chattenden, was jailed for a year in January last year for a theft conspiracy and was on licence at the time of the latest offences.