A BUSINESSMAN branded a "coward" by a judge has avoided jail after crashing into a police car at the end of a high speed chase.

Adnan Aslam drove the wrong way around traffic islands at speed and also on the wrong side of the road before colliding with the police car.

He then drove away from the scene, only to be arrested a short time later when he parked his car outside his home in Beech Green, on the Old Park Farm estate.

Judge John Wait told 30-year-old Aslam it was clear he had tried to set up an elaborate defence by maintaining someone else was driving his car and that had gone on for nearly four years.

"Your behaviour that night was despicable and your conduct since was despicable," he told Aslam at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

He said that when Aslam, who employs two people in his car sales operation, realised he was being followed by a police car he made a determined and deliberate attempt to get away.

"You then sought to lie and you continued to lie as you sought to get others involved," he told Aslam.

"This was deliberate deception over a period of years."

Aslam admitted dangerous driving and he was given an eight month jail term, suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work.

He must pay £2,800 costs together with a £2,000 fine and disqualified from driving for two years Sarah Buckingham, defending, said Aslam accepted his driving had been appalling and dreadful.

She said he had panicked in fear and self preservation because he did not want to go to prison: "He was very foolish and very silly in what was a moment of madness."

Aslam, she concluded, had acted completely out of character because he had been terrified of being sent into custody.