Halstead: Man jailed after police chase (From Halstead Gazette)

Halstead: Man jailed after police chase

9:00am Friday 11th January 2013 in News

A mechanic has been jailed after trying to evade police in a high speed chase.

Ben Turner, of Acorn Avenue, Halstead, hit speeds of up to 105mph as he attempted to outrun traffic cops around Colchester.

Turner led police on a 20 minute high speed pursuit in the early hours of November 18 last year, during which he also went through two sets of red lights, drove at 70mph in residential streets and almost smashed into a taxi driver.

The chase ended when Turner abandoned his car in a lane off the A120 at Marks Tey and tried to hide in a bush, where he was caught by officers.

Sentencing Turner, 23, to ten months in jail, judge Stuart Bridge said yesterday: "It was a miracle that no-one was injured during this prolonged period of dangerous driving, which include routine disregard for the speed limit.

"Short of causing serious injury to other road users, this is as bad a case that I have come across and I have no choice but to impose an immediate custodial sentence."

Turner was spotted by officers going around the roundabout at Maldon Road and Crouch Street, in Colchester, at about 1.50am in his BMW saloon car.

As Turner turned into Maldon Road he was speeding and officers gave chase.

When officers followed, they noted Turner was driving at 60mph in Butt Road, twice the speed limit, and was not stopping at junctions.

Samantha Lowther, prosecuting, told Chelmsford Crown Court the chase continued along Drury Road and Layer Road, where temporary traffic lights were red, into Shrub End Road. Turner continued into Abberton Road, where he hit speeds of 105mph, before a police helicopter and stinger units were called in to assist.

The chase continued into Stanway, where Turner joined the A12 at junction 26. He exited soon after, at junction 26, at Marks Tey, and drove along the A120, where he ditched his car and tried to hide in a bush and was caught by police at about 2.10am.

Mrs Lowther said when Turner was questioned by police he said he panicked because he thought he could be over the drink drive limit as he had drank a glass of rum and Coke at a friend's house before the chase began.

When tested, David Howell, mitigating, said he was well under the legal limit.

Turner admitted dangerous driving and failing to stop for police.