A teenager who borrowed his uncle's Land Rover and fled from police the wrong way around a city centre roundabout, scraping an oncoming car, has been handed a community order.

Mehlo Muchiyani had initially jumped a red traffic light and panicked when police tried to pull him over, Bristol Crown Court heard yesterday.

The 18-year-old, of Bonnington Walk, Lockleaze, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving without the proper licence and insurance.

Imposing an 18-month community order, The Recorder of Bristol Judge Tom Crowther QC told him: "It was an appalling piece of driving against a background of a questionable contact with the motor car in the first place."

Eric Waley, prosecuting, told the court police spotted Muchiyani driving a gold coloured Land Rover, in West Street, Old Market, at around 5.55pm on January 29.

When the teenager went through a red light they indicated for him to stop, he did so, but then drove off through another red light, the court heard.

Mr Waley said Muchiyani contravened a no entry sign into an oncoming bus lane, drove the wrong way around the Old Market roundabout and caused oncoming vehicles to swerve out of the way.

He told the court: "One lady, Dina Sharapova, didn't avoid him in her Toyota Corolla. There was a collision and she was shocked and distressed. Her car was scraped all the way down one side. She thought it was God's way of punishing her for not leading a good life, but it was more a case of very bad driving."

The court heard Muchiyani continued down a slip road towards Cabot Circus and escaped.

Police inquiries traced the vehicle to his uncle, Mandhlak Mubhongo, and officers spent the next six months trying to find him.

Mr Waley said: "In early June, police spoke to the gentleman's wife; the gentleman then came in to the police station and two weeks later he dragged his nephew in and said 'It's him'."

The teenager accepted that he had taken his uncle's vehicle and he did not want to get caught by police in case it was seized and he would have to explain it.

At the time of the offences Muchiyani was serving an 18-month community order handed to him in May last year for two offences of robbery.

Rosie Walsh, defending, told the court: "Mr Muchiyani pulled over, hoping the police would pass him. Once he realised it was him they were after he acted in blind panic and went on to make some serious errors.

"The main error was the roundabout, and leading up to that the bus lane."

Miss Walsh stressed that, because it was a busy Thursday evening, traffic was crawling and there was no evidence her client was speeding.

She said he had attended the police station willingly with his uncle and had always accepted the offences.