A thief who tried to outrun police after a housebreaking spree drove so dangerously that officers had to call off the high-speed pursuit to protect the public.
Perth Sheriff Court heard that Steven Finnie, 33, of Dundee, had stolen thousands of pounds worth of goods during raids on three properties when he led police on a chase for several miles in a stolen car.
The heroin addict was already banned from driving when he drove the wrong way along a dual carriageway after police deployed a stinger to blow out his two front tyres in a bid to end the chase.
Finnie admitted breaking into three properties in Dundee, Alyth and Pitlochry within a few hours between January 10 and 11 this year.
He admitted stealing several items including tools, a television, DVDs, meat and more than a dozen packets of salmon.
The court heard that Finnie, who was high on drugs, sped through a village at 70mph on a Sunday afternoon.
He turned on to a busy stretch of the A9 into the path of officers who had deployed the stinger device on the southbound carriageway near Perth.
Both of his front tyres burst but Finnie continued to drive south on the northbound carriageway in the face of oncoming traffic.
He was still driving at 40mph when traffic officers managed to bring him to a controlled stop.
Finnie was jailed for two years and banned from driving for nine years by Sheriff William Wood.
Sentence was deferred on the housebreaking charges.
Finnie had previously admitted offences including stealing a set of keys and a Kia Picanto from Earn Crescent, Dundee, on January 11.
He also admitted driving dangerously while banned and unfit through drink or drugs.
Depute fiscal Chris Macintosh said: “He (Finnie) was overtaking in the face of oncoming vehicles and straddling the centre lines. Several vehicles were forced to take evasive action.
“Police had deployed a stinger across the carriageway.”
Solicitor Scott Norrie, defending, said his client had been addicted to heroin and realised his life was “a sad state of affairs”.