An Ipswich father-of-two who drove at speeds of up to 120 mph along the A14 and A12 during an hour-long 55-mile police chase after he was dumped by his fiancée has been given a suspended prison sentence.

The incident started in Landseer Road, Ipswich when a police officer approached Terry Read’s Seat Leon to check on his welfare after he had spoken to a work colleague.

The chase ended near Brentwood when he was forced to pull over after being hemmed in by three police cars, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

During the pursuit, Read overtook cars on the wrong side of the road and on one occasion narrowly avoided hitting a bus.

He had also driven over a red light at a pedestrian crossing near the Lord Nelson pub in Fore Street, Ipswich, and had driven at speeds of up to 120mph on the A14 and the A12.

Read, 46, of Childers Court, Ipswich, admitted dangerous driving on August 28 last year.

In September Judge Martyn Levett deferred sentence on Read for six months until Thursday ( March 24) when he gave him a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years, banned him from driving for two years and ordered him to pay £415 costs.

He also ordered him to do 120 hours unpaid work and gave him a 50 day rehabilitation requirement.

The court heard that Read had driven at speeds of up to 60 mph along Landseer Road, Duke Street, College Street and Key Street.

He had ignored the siren and blue flashing lights of the pursuing police car and had driven out of Ipswich along Wherstead Road before joining the A137 and then heading towards the Copdock interchange on the A14, reaching estimated speeds of up to 120 mph.

He had then turned on to the A12 and had driven at speeds of 80-120mph towards Colchester before being forced to pull over near Brentwood.

He told police his partner of 22 years had ended their relationship that afternoon.

Ian Persaud for Read said his client had been suicidal on the evening in question and had driven like an “automaton” during the police chase

He said although he spent the afternoon in the pub he had passed a breath test when he was stopped by police.

Mr Persaud said Read had been physically and mentally drained by his work as a health care assistant and had his partner ending their relationship had caused a “perfect storm”.