A convicted armed robber managed to speed off from police who found a gun in his car - despite being in handcuffs.

Officers from Gwent Police pulled over John Robinson, 48, on November 30 last year after suspecting that the Mitsubishi Outlander he was driving was stolen.

Inside the car, they found what appeared to be a handgun, arresting Robinson on the spot and slapping him with handcuffs.

As officers radioed in the arrest and asked him to get out of the car, the nonchalant-looking career criminal stamped on the accelerator and tried to make his escape.

But Robinson - who has a criminal record of 37 previous convictions for 98 offences - didn't get far before the long arm of the law caught up to him again.

Footage of his botched getaway was released after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and possession of an imitation firearm at Newport Crown Court.

In the footage, the arresting officer can be heard saying he believed he had found a 'potentially stolen vehicle' as he tells Robinson: 'Just jump out of the vehicle for me, mate.'

The crook grunts as he tells the officer: 'I'm disabled' - to which the officer says: 'That's fine, take your time.'

Robinson, in cuffs, makes what looks like an effort to shuffle out of the car before grabbing the wheel and accelerating away. 

The policeman tries to grab him and yank him out of the car before he is struck by the driver's door and has to beat a retreat - while the white SUV takes off with its doors and boot wide open. Police found him a short time later.

Laurence Jones, prosecuting, said: 'He even told officers how hard it was driving in handcuffs.'

The court heard that the 'realistic' looking firearm was actually a 'dysfunctional' pistol.

Robinson, a grandfather and father of five, was jailed for 12 months and banned from driving for three years following his release from custody.

He will have to sit an extended retest and pay a victim surcharge.