A VOLUNTARY helper who took a young boy on a 100mph terror drive has been jailed for eight months.

Uninsured John Burgess, 37, panicked when police spoke to him and, in a desperate escape bid, sped off down a residential road at three times the speed limit with his helpless passenger.

The ten-year-old had gone with Burgess to help find a takeaway, only to be caught in the horrifying police pursuit through Totton and Hythe which ended with Burgess trying to run off.

Southampton Crown Court was told police stopped to speak to Burgess in Shakespeare Drive, Totton, at about 11.30pm on July 31 after he was seen reversing at speed.

Prosecutor Richard Willcox described how, with wheels spinning and soil being thrown up, he drove off in a cloud of dust from a grass verge.

Eventually Burgess stopped and ran off into trees and dense undergrowth before being caught. He was then brought back to his car where the ten-year-old boy was found crying.

Burgess told police he knew they were following him and admitted his driving had been "completely irresponsible and dangerous" but had panicked because he had no insurance.

Burgess, of Adelaide Road, Portswood, Southamp-ton, admitted dangerous driving, having no insurance and failing to stop. In addition to the prison sentence, he was banned for three years and must then pass an extended driving test.

Passing sentence, Judge David Griffiths said it was a prolonged, persistent and deliberate course of bad driving. aggravated by the fact the boy was in the car, and it was only by good luck that no one was seriously injured.

"I accept you were drained of sleep, you were suffering from depression and you have done good with your voluntary work. Together with your guilty pleas, that enables me to pass a lesser sentence."

Ben Compton, defending, said one shuddered at the possible consequences of Burgess's driving. He was one of the most unlikely candidates for this sort of offending - a decent man whose voluntary work included working at St James Shelter and at a home for people with learning difficulties. He was assessed as being of a low risk of re-offending and was singularly ill equipped to deal with a custodial sentence.

Mr Compton added: "Being stopped by the police was the straw that broke the camel's back. He was suffering from depression and exhaustion."