A joyriding learner driver careered around Ipswich in his father’s car because he was “bored” has been spared jail.

Geah Hasan, of Galway Avenue, Ipswich, took his dad’s Vauxhall Astra without permission on New Year’s Day and drove around for about three hours.

At his sentencing at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court Hasan was given 26 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to complete 120 hours’ unpaid work.

The 23-year-old – who had a female passenger in the car at the time – had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving without insurance and otherwise in accordance with a licence.

Hasan took the Astra after his father and other family members went to London.

At around 6.20pm a taxi driver was in Silent Street when he saw the car cross a roundabout at speed without giving way.

The Astra went through a red traffic light, into Tacket Street and Upper Orwell Street, increasing its speed to 35-40mph.

It stopped at a red light in St Helen’s Street and turned into St Margaret’s Street before zig-zagging as if the driver was twisting the steering wheel.

Police were called and the Astra then turned right into Fonnereau Road in front of oncoming traffic at 40mph.

The taxi driver lost sight of the car, but then saw it being driven along Norwich Road at high speed.

It travelled straight over the mini-roundabouts at the Valley Road junction causing a number of cars to do emergency stops.

The taxi driver told police he had never seen anyone drive as badly or dangerously in seven years on the job.

Police stopped the Astra in Whitehouse Road at 7.55pm.

The female passenger told them she thought they had been driving around for three hours.

At the earlier court hearing it was said Hasan admitted he took his father’s car because he was bored.

Hasan – who came to the UK from Iraq in 2008 to join his father – was a learner driver who had taken 20 lessons.

In addition to his suspended prison term Hasan was disqualified from driving for 24 months and must pay a total of £285 in court costs, a surcharge, and a fine.