A 'complete fool' who damaged a police car following a low-speed chase while banned from driving has been told to 'man up and be a proper father'.

Aiden McCulloch, 28, bought a Peugeot van, despite being disqualified from driving, having no insurance and being the subject of a suspended sentence order.

McCulloch was driving the van in the Thetford area but was spotted within minutes by police who put on their blue lights.

Jonathan Morgans, prosecuting at Norwich Crown Court on Tuesday (November 20), said: 'What followed was a low speed chase'.

He added: 'They (the police) used their vehicle to get in front of the van. There was a collision. There was damage to the police car.'

Mr Morgans said McCulloch was arrested and interviewed.

Although he initially made no comment he has since pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified on October 8 this year as well as driving without insurance and committing further offences during a suspended sentence order.

Richard Kelly, defending, described the offending as a 'very bad decision' which he very much regretted.

The court heard that McCulloch, of The Glebe, East Harling, has a five-year-old son and a heavily-pregnant partner who is due to give birth to their second child in January.

Mr Kelly said his client had been a 'complete fool'.

Sentencing McCulloch, Judge Maureen Bacon said it was time for the defendant to 'man up and be a proper father'.

McCulloch, who appeared via videolink from Norwich Prison, said: 'I will do anything not to let my family down in future and the courts.'

Judge Bacon ordered McCulloch to do 100 hours' unpaid work over the next 12 months.

He was also given a 12-month driving ban, had his licence endorsed for the no insurance and ordered to pay £500 compensation to the police for damage to the vehicle.

In addition, for breaching his suspended sentence order, he was ordered to pay £5.