THIS is the face of serial criminal David Vann who left an Oldbury driver fearing for her life when he kidnapped her at knifepoint.

Vann, who has now been put behind bars for four years, got into Lesley Jones' car after she parked at the Oldbury Green Retail Park before forcing her to go on "journey of terror," said Judge Dean Kershaw.

The frightened woman, he added, was told "It's your car or your life" by Vann who held one of the four knives he was carrying against her throat.

"You turned the world of this lady upside down," said the judge at Wolverhampton Crown Court with Vann telling her, "If you do not do as I say I will harm you."

He went on: "I can only imagine the terror she must have felt. There is no doubt she must have thought she was going to die."

After being forced to drive Vann for about two miles she managed to get out of the vehicle before he sped off and a high speed police chase followed before the 57-year-old was arrested.

During the pursuit, said Sati Ruck, prosecuting, Vann - a man with drug and alcohol problems - drove on the wrong side of the road and through traffic lights on red.

He also struck a parked car before driving onto the motorway - highly dangerous driving, said the judge, after the "despicable" incident involving Mrs Jones.

After his arrest Vann who had 135 previous convictions on his long criminal record was found to be over the permitted alcohol limit.

Vann, of no fixed address, admitted kidnap, aggravated vehicle taking, driving dangerously, without insurance or a licence, with excess alcohol and four charges of possessing an offensive weapon - all knives.

Miss Ruck told the court that in a victim impact statement Mrs Jones had described to police officers how she now found it difficult to leave her home.

She said she was constantly on edge and she had been left "scared out of her wits" by the actions of Vann who was told by the judge his licence would be extended by a further three years on his release from custody.

The judge said it was clear from reports he posed the risk of causing future harm to members of the public and he would only be released from prison when the authorities deemed him to be safe.

The judge concluded:"The public need to be protected from you, you have an appalling criminal record including making threats to kill people."