Couple hit 170mph on A38... and put video on Facebook
HUSBAND EGGED WIFE ON TO TWICE SPEED LIMIT
A HUSBAND and wife filmed themselves driving at a shocking 170mph on the A38 near Derby.
On the video, which was posted on Facebook, the needle on the speedometer of Robert and Alexandra Shore’s souped-up Audi S3 is seen to rise from 130mph to an astonishing 170mph.
Egged on by her husband, Alexandra Shore puts her foot down on the accelerator before slowing down with one of them calling out “oh yes” at the end of the clip.
The couple had said the film of her doing more than twice to speed limit between Derby and Burton had been doctored to show she was travelling far faster than she really was.
And their sentencing hearing was told how Robert Shore posted a comment online bragging about “doing 180mph next time”
At Derby Crown Court, Judge Jonathan Bennett said: “This incident of dangerous driving was grossly irresponsible on the part of you both.
“It showed a complete lack of judgement which could have had the most severe consequences for yourselves, more importantly other road users and your family.
“It is ironic that, as per the mitigation put forward, it would be your teenage children who would suffer the most if you were to be sent into custody.
“But you did not give them any thought when you were putting your foot down on the accelerator.”
Sarah Slater, prosecuting, said the offence took place on the dual carriageway near Egginton at around 8.30pm on February 9, 2019.
She said police were alerted to the video being posted online and they visited mechanic Robert Shore at his garage in Smalley.
Miss Slater said: “On the Facebook post the police were able to retrieve comments were made by other people and Mr Shore posted comments about how he was going to try and do 180mph next time. He also posted a message indicating he had been driving vehicles at very high speeds on a number of occasions.”
Miss Slater said Robert Shore initially claimed he tampered with the speedometer and that in reality the true speed was much lower. But she said a police expert concluded that the average speed that the car was being driven at for the duration of the clip was 155mph.
Alexandra Shore, 38, a housewife and mother of two from Megdale,
Matlock, initially pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving, but changed that to guilty earlier this year.
Chris Hallas, mitigating, said: “If I could plagiarise from the first page of her own letter to the court, she says ‘I want to make it clear I am not just sorry because I have been caught, I am genuinely sorry for doing such a stupid thing’
“‘I am totally and utterly ashamed of myself’.” She was jailed for nine months, suspended for 18 months, and disqualified from driving for a year.
Her husband, 41, of the same address, had pleaded not guilty to aiding and abetting his wife to commit her offence, but he too changed his plea to guilty.
He has previous convictions for dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.
Steve Cobley, his barrister, said: “It was wholly irresponsible and there was driving at totally excessive speeds.
“He sees himself as the one that’s culpable. His wife drove at his request and he is totally ashamed of his behaviour and today appears to face the consequences.”
He was jailed for 10 months, suspended for 18 months.
Both the Shores were handed electronically-monitored curfews confining them to their address each night for the next five months between 8pm and 6am.
It showed a complete lack of judgement which could have had the most severe consequences.
Judge Jonathan Bennett