A drug addict and disqualified driver who led police on a car chase in Bristol during a desperate quest for drugs has been jailed.

Robert Allen had twice been captured on CCTV stealing from shops in the city and had been caught driving while disqualified before he was spotted driving illegally a second time and brought to book after a police pursuit.

Allen, 30, of no fixed abode, told officers he had been "strung out and in need of drugs".

He later admitted two charges of driving while disqualified and two charges of theft, and asked for five further offences to be taken into consideration.

William Hunter, prosecuting at Bristol Crown Court, said the drug addict was caught on camera stealing cosmetics from Boots in Longwell Green and hiding them in his trousers on May 2.

He said Allen was captured on CCTV again on May 26 stealing more than £50 of air fresheners from the Co-op store in Hanham.

The next day, Mr Hunter said, Allen, who had been disqualified from driving in 2006 for two years and until he had passed an extended driving test, was caught illegally driving a Volvo away from a petrol station on the A4174 ring road and arrested.

He said the defendant admitted driving while disqualified and the two thefts. He was bailed but on July 21 was caught at the wheel again when he led police on a chase in Kingswood.

Mr Hunter said Allen was driving a BMW and had a female passenger when he mounted a pavement twice in Charlton Road.

The defendant was said to have then driven down Ingleside Road and jumped red traffic lights, failed to stop at a junction and drove at 50mph in a 30mph zone.

The court heard Allen eventually stopped outside his girlfriend's home and ran off down an alleyway but was caught and arrested.

"He said he drove to get away from the police and knew he was disqualified. He said he was strung out and in need of drugs and he panicked," said Mr Hunter.

Robert Morgan-Jones, mitigating, said his client had a long, entrenched drug addiction and conceded he had to change his attitude.

Jailing Allen for 19 months, Judge Carol Hagen said: "Drugs have been the main focus of your life and until you decide for yourself that you are going to stop it, this cycle will continue.

"I have no option today but to send you into custody."