A Sussex judge has had to reduce a car thief's time in prison because a mistake was made in sentencing.

At Lewes Crown Court on Friday, Judge Richard Brown sentenced Nathan Wilson to 30 months.

But yesterday Wilson, 21, of Ravenswood Drive, Woodingdean, involved in a car chase at speeds of up to 120mph, was brought back to court after it was realised the maximum sentence was 24 months.

Judge Brown had described Wilson's driving as he sped down the M23 and A23, dodging police cars and hitting three other vehicles as "horrendous".

He condemned Wilson, who had nine previous convictions for driving while disqualified, as someone who had put other people's lives at risk while paying little heed to the rules of the road.

Wilson had pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

He was sentenced to 30 months for aggravated vehicle taking and four months for driving while disqualified. The sentences were to run concurrently. No separate penalty was imposed for driving without insurance.

Immediately sentence was passed Wilson's defence barrister, Neil Mercer, queried it, saying he thought the maximum for aggravated vehicle taking, when someone had not been killed, was two years.

Nicholas Hall, for the prosecution, confirmed the maximum was five years. Judge Brown said: "I am sure, I am right" and Wilson was taken to the prison cells.

But yesterday he re-sentenced Wilson to 18 months for the aggravated vehicle taking and three months for driving whilst disqualified, to run consecutively.

After the case, Judge Brown said: "It was ascertained that the maximum sentence for aggravated vehicle taking is two years, except where the dangerous driving leads to a death, in which case it is five years.

"Accordingly the sentence on this defendant has been reduced to reflect the maximum sentence available."