This is the heart-stopping moment a banned Audi driver who had a toddler in the back seat weaved through traffic before ramming into a police car during a high-speed chase.

Warwickshire Police released the nerve shredding footage of Demetrious Nickoloau, 27, speeding off in an Audi A3 after officers tried to pull him over for running a red light.

Dashcam footage shows the motorist hurtling along a dual carriageway, coming inches away from ploughing into several cars as he tried to escape.

His vehicle, worth £27,000, hit speeds of 75mph in a 30mph zone as police pursued him across the towns of Bedworth and Nuneaton on August 24 last year.

He was finally caught when two police cars boxed him in on the A444 towards Coventry before he tried to ram his way free.

As he was being arrested, officers were shocked to discover an 18-month-old child strapped in the back seat of the car. The Audi he was driving also had false number plates.

Dashcam footage shows the motorist hurtling along a dual carriageway, coming inches away from ploughing into several cars as he tried to escape

The footage shows Demetrious Nickoloau (pictured) speeding off in an Audi A3 after officers tried to pull him over for running a red light

Nickoloau, of Binley, Coventry, was jailed for a total of 42 months at Warwick Crown Court.

He admitted assault, ill-treatment, neglect and abandoning a child and causing unnecessary suffering to a child and was jailed for 28 months.

He was also sentenced to a further 14 months to run concurrently after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance.

He pleaded guilty to all the offences, including failing to provide a specimen for analysis and driving whilst disqualified.

After Monday’s sentencing, PC Simon Dalby, Roads Policing Officer, said: ‘Demetrious had a total disregard for the safety of other road users as he drove at high speed dangerously overtaking and weaving through other vehicles in an attempt to evade capture.

‘He certainly had no concern for the safety of the public or the extremely vulnerable 18-month-old child that was in the back seat of his car and his sentence reflects this.

‘Fortunately the pursuit was brought to a safe conclusion and following the sentence, Demetrious has now been denied the use of the roads for several years to come and will need to pass an extended retest before he can drive again.’