An Ipswich father-of-two drove at speeds of up to 120 mph along the A14 and A12 during a 55 mile police chase after he was dumped by his fiancée, a court has heard.

The incident started in Landseer Road, Ipswich when a police officer approached Terry Read’s Seat Leon at around 8.30pm to check on his welfare and 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, said Sayla Chotalla, prosecuting.

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

Judge Martyn Levett deferred sentence on Read for six months until March next year and told him he needed to change his attitude and stop blaming other people for things that went wrong in his life.

He told Read to speak to his doctor about his medication and if possible to have counselling.

Mr Chotalla told the court that after speeding off with the wheels of his Seat Leon spinning in Landseer Road, when he was approached by a police officer, 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.

When he was approached by police officers Read had apologised and said: “ I thought I’d make it more interesting for you.”

He said his fiancée had ended their relationship that afternoon and he had gone to the pub at 2pm.

Read also said he had been mentally unstable at the time of the offence and had “taken flight.”

He denied driving at more than 100 mph and said he had only driven at 80mph.

He told police he was ashamed and embarrassed of what he’d done.

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 eventually stopped by police.

Mr Persaud said Read was remorseful.