A man who was arrested twice in connection with the Sarah Payne murder inquiry was today jailed for 22 months for unrelated motoring offences.

Roy Whiting, 41, formerly of St Augustine Road, Littlehampton, was arrested twice in connection with the murder hunt in July and released without charge.

Whiting's lawyer told Chichester Crown Court his life had been "ripped apart" when he was arrested on July 1 in connection with Sarah Payne's disappearance.

Today he admitted one charge of dangerous driving and one of taking a vehicle without consent.

The two separate motoring charges date back to July 23, after Whiting, of no fixed address, was released by murder squad detectives.

The judge branded Whiting's driving as "lunatic".

Whiting pleaded guilty to taking and driving away a Vauxhall Nova without the consent of the owner and dangerous driving.

The court heard that police spotted Whiting driving the Nova in Crawley early on July 23.

The car had been taken from outside an address in Crawley where Whiting used to live.

It led to a furious chase at up to 60mph in a 30mph zones, part of which was shown to the court on video footage from a camera fitted to a police car.

The Nova also drove down footpaths, cut across a playing field and reversed down the busy A23 against the flow of traffic.

Linsey Burn, prosecuting, said the Nova also drove straight at two police cars which had to swerve to avoid the collision.

The pursuit ended in St John's Close, Crawley, when the Nova collided with a parked car.

Mr Burn said the Nova was a write-off: "The defendant had driven the car to destruction."

Ian Morley, defending, said Whiting's life had been "turned upside down" in July.

He said the defendant had become homeless and had blisters on his feet from walking the streets.

Mr Morley said Whiting took the Nova in order to have a roof over his head and had acted out of "paranoia, panic, terror and stress" when he saw the police.

He said Whiting had 15 years' experience as a stock car racer, which explained some of the manoeuvres which had taken place.

Sentencing Whiting to 18 months for dangerous driving and another four months for taking the car, Judge Anthony Thorpe told him: "You're a lunatic, and I use that word advisedly.

"Driving at high speed directly at the officers was clearly not only dangerous but a terrifying experience for them.

"It is but for the grace of God that you are not facing much more serious charges today than you do."