A Stonehouse teenager who fled from police at speeds up to 98mph, going through red lights and narrowly missing a bus, has avoided jail.

Cameron Brodie, 18, of Court View, Stonehouse, drove dangerously for four and a half miles and it was only good fortune that no-one was injured, Gloucester crown court heard.

He admitted dangerous driving and was banned for two years and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work for the community.

The prosecution said the incident began when two police officers were responding to an unrelated incident on March 28 this year with blue lights and sirens going.

They noticed a vehicle travelling at speed which was not paying any attention to their emergency warnings.

At the M5 junction 12 they flashed the driver to stop, but the vehicle continued travelling along the A4008 and accelerated away, said prosecutor Nicholas Lee.

The police followed and officers saw the vehicle go through a red light on a set of roadworks at 98mph.

The driver continued into Stonehouse at speeds up to 64mph and only just avoided colliding with a double-decker bus, Mr Lee said.

The police officers lost sight of the vehicle being driven dangerously as it joined the traffic on the Ebley bypass.

The police later attended the car’s registered address and Brodie, then aged 17, admitted driving dangerously. He said he had passed his test four months earlier and explained that he panicked when the police flashed him.

“He said he couldn’t remember narrowly missing the bus,” said the prosecutor.

“It was an episode of aggressive driving at excessive speeds up to 98mph and at over 60mph in residential areas. He ignored red lights at a set of roadworks.”

Joe Maloney, defending, said: “The car was fully legal at the time of the incident. Brodie has taken full responsibility for his actions. It is clear that he is remorseful over the effects of his bad driving.

He has no excuses. He just panicked.”

The Judge, Recorder Paul Dunkels QC, said to Brodie: “You drove dangerously for four-and-a-half miles to try and get away from the police. You ignored red traffic lights and you caused a bus to swerve.

“You posed a serious risk to other road users. It is only by good fortune that nobody was hurt during the pursuit.

“I accept that you are very remorseful and you fully understand how serious your conduct was. You committed the offence when you were still 17.

“A prison sentence could be a lifelong set back. I feel under the circumstances a community order will be a sufficient punishment.”

The judge imposed a 12 month community order that requires Brodie to complete 150 hours of unpaid work; a three month curfew between 8pm and 7am and disqualified him from driving for two years and ordered that he take an extended test to get his driving licence back.

The judge also ordered that he pay a victim surcharge.