High-speed chase for suspect ‘scared of police dog’
MAN FLED AND THEN WOULD NOT GET OUT OF CAR WHEN CAUGHT
A BMW driver took one look at the police dog about to apprehend him and decided to take his chances and try to flee instead.
The dog handler had been called in after a grey BMW 3 series vehicle, suspected of involvement with a drugs transaction, was seen at Junction 22 of the M1 motorway, on the afternoon of Sunday October 11, 2020.
The dog handler caught sight of the BMW on the B591 in Woodhouse Eaves, heading towards Loughborough, and was instructed to follow it.
When she found the car parked in a gateway, she approached with Spike and told the defendant – who was with a passenger – to turn his engine off.
However, Jordane Kubie, 26, took one look at the dog, locked his car door and put his foot down instead – narrowly missing the officer and her canine, Spike.
Lucky Thandi, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court: “The officer told him he was being arrested on suspicion of a drugs offence.
“He locked the driver’s door, put the vehicle in gear and the officer had to avoid the car hitting her or the dog.
“He reversed towards the police van and then headed off towards Shepshed.”
A short time later, another officer saw the defendant travelling at speed on the wrong side of Ashby Road Central, in Shepshed, overtaking vehicles and ignoring a red light.
Ms Thandi said: “He drove very close to other vehicles and overtook two cars whilst being pursued.”
She described Kubie intermittently speeding up and suddenly slowing, almost to a halt.
The defendant then continued towards Whitwick, where two other force vehicles joined the pursuit. They then performed a three-car box manoeuvre to bring the BMW to a controlled stop.
Kubie still refused to get out, until an officer used a baton to smash his windscreen.
In interview, he said he did not get out of the BMW because he was “scared” of the police dog, said Ms Thandi.
Kubie admitted dangerous driving and breaching a previously imposed 12-month suspended jail sentence for an affray.
No drugs charges resulted. The court heard the defendant, of Braytoft Close, Coventry, had 10 crimes on his record, including failing to stop, other motoring offences and resisting a police constable.
Michael Garvey, mitigating, said Kubie had since mended his ways and taken “a responsible role” in assisting his partner to bring up their son.
He worked in a shop and was also a personal trainer.
Sentencing, Judge Ebrahim Mooncey said: “It was a concerted effort to evade the police. You caused danger to others and it’s only good fortune that nobody was injured.
“It was an appalling piece of driving with excessive speed, ignoring red lights, under-taking, pulling out of junctions at speed and driving on the wrong side of the road.
“I’m told that, in the time that’s elapsed since then, you’ve turned your life around in a meaningful way. But the court has already given you a number of chances and it’s too serious for anything other than immediate custody.”
Kubie was jailed for 12 months and banned from driving for two years.