FORMER world darts champion Les Wallace will spend Christmas and the new year behind bars after being jailed for four months today.

Wallace, 39, of Midanbury Broadway, Midanbury, South-ampton, had admitted dangerous driving and being twice the drink-drive limit.

The city crown court heard how smoke poured from the wheels of his Ford Sierra as he desperately tried to throw off a pursuing police car in Bitterne on November 2.

Prosecutor Richard Willcox described how they began following Wallace after he failed to indicate when turning left.

In a dash for freedom, he then:

Ignored blue flashing lights ordering him to stop.

Screeched round a corner too fast.

Drove the wrong way around a roundabout

Forced oncoming traffic to stop and take avoiding action.

Went through a no-entry sign.

He eventually stopped at a dead end and tried to flee on foot but fell over and was restrained.

A breath test later revealed he was double the legal limit.

Wallace had one previous court appearance in 1996 when he was fined £210 and banned for 12 months for driving with excess alcohol, having no insurance and failing to stop.

Charles Thomas, mitigating, told the court Wallace was ill-equipped with dealing with the fame which winning the world championship had brought, adding: "He was on the circuit leading the life of a top professional darts player. He became the focus of other people's attention.

"People wanted a chunk of his time. He was a parrot in a cage. People wanted to buy him drinks. He found that hard to resist. People were effectively forcing drinks on him."

Mr Thomas said Wallace's life dramatically changed in 1999 when his partner lost premature twins who were four days old. That led to the collapse of the relationship and his consumption became greater.

Mr Thomas said: "He withdrew from the darts circuit. He realised he could not cope and he has not competed regularly on the tour since 1999."

Mr Thomas said Wallace was still in the spotlight and that may have affected his decision not to stop for the police that night, adding: "He has shown great remorse for what has happened and he doesn't wish to drive again. He represents a low risk of re-offending and a danger to the public."

Mr Thomas said Wallace had been a great ambassador for the sport and done a great deal for charity. His client now realised he must come to grips with his drinking and had started a home detoxification course.

Passing sentence, Judge John Boggis QC told Wallace it was no thanks to him that no one was seriously injured by his driving.

The offences had been aggravated by a previous conviction for drink-driving and the public was entitled to protection.

In addition to the jail sentence, Wallace was also banned from driving for three years.