A 30-year-old banned driver led police on a 135mph chase through the county in a stolen BMW.

David Peters had been spotted in the early hours with two other men breaking into vans in Sittingbourne.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that for 12-miles along the M2 and A2 he was followed by police including a helicopter.

That chase ended after he crashed the stolen 5 Series BMW and was found hiding in a nearby garden.

Prosecutor Gabby Henty told how during the chase police reached speeds of between 100-135mph while swerving as power tools were being thrown from the BMW.

She revealed tools valued at £10,000 were found on a six-mile stretch of the road and the rest inside the vehicle.

Peters, of Dray Gardens, Brixton, admitted driving dangerously and while disqualified, handling the stolen car and stealing the power tools.

Ms Henty said Mr and Mrs Clarke, residents in an estate in Sittingbourne saw three men and shining lights from mobile phones into the back of vans in Connaught Road.

One resident noted the registration number and alerted police who later spotted the car travelling towards London on the M2 at 3.58am

"It was heading towards London at speeds in excess of 100mph and was being matched by police who then registered speeds up to 125mph, " she added.

As the BMW sped along the motorway it then reached speeds of 135mph and police officers summoned the help of a police helicopter to follow the car onto the A2 when it was clocked at 130mph.

Ms Henty said officers noted how power tools were then being thrown out of the BMW, which had fake number plates, as it turned into Kidbrooke and onto Shooters Hill when Peters lost control and crashed the car.

Liam Gregory, defending, said: "He didn't realise he was going at these speeds."

Judge Adele Williams jailed him for a total of two years and seven months and banned him from driving for four-and-a-half years.

She told him: "During this police car chase you put the lives of other people in jeopardy - this is a grave offence."

Speaking after sentencing, PC James Hales, Kent Police’s investigating officer for the case said: "Peters made a conscious decision to endanger the lives of innocent members of the public and police officers, in an attempt to escape justice.

"His clear and obvious disregard for the law has led to a custodial sentence."

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