Drink-driver almost hit pedestrian in high speed pursuit
MAN IS JAILED OVER DANGER DRIVING AND SPEEDING
A DRINK-DRIVER has been jailed after a high-speed chase across Leicester in which he almost hit a pedestrian and went at 85mph down Narborough Road.
The chase, from Rushey Mead to Rowley Fields, saw him jump numerous red lights, swerve on to the oncoming lane and skid around a roundabout while being pursued.
Police had received a call shortly after midnight on February 12, to say that a BMW 1 Series was being driven dangerously along Troon Way, Rushey Mead.
A police officer in an unmarked car drove to the area and, at 12.45am, was waiting at the junction of Troon Way and Melton Road when Curtis Cotterill pulled up next to him in the BMW on cloned numberplates, not realising he was a police officer.
The officer watched as Cotterill, who was nearly twice the drink-drive limit and had a front-seat passenger, spun the rear wheels and accelerated fast down Melton Road, driving into the bus lane and speeding through a red traffic light at about 60mph toward the city centre.
He turned right at the inner ring road on to Burleys Way, jumped two more sets of red lights and continued on to St Augustine Road and Tudor Road, with the police officer pursuing him.
Cotterill turned left on to Bosworth Street and sped up the residential road, almost hitting a pedestrian, who had to jump out of the way.
Other police cars joined the pursuit and he turned back towards Narborough Road.
He drove south along the road, swerving on to the wrong sides of bollards and travelling at speeds of up to 85mph along the road, which has a speed limit of 30mph, before turning left on to Evesham Road and driving into the Faircharm Industrial Estate.
At that point, Cotterill rammed into the side of a police car and his passenger leapt out and fled.
Cotterill drove on further into the industrial estate and tried to make off on foot, but was caught.
He was breathalysed and gave a
ACROSS CITY
reading of 69 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
Cotterill, 29, of Offranville Close, Thurmaston, entered guilty pleas the following day to charges of drink-driving, dangerous driving, criminal damage, driving with fake numberplates and failing to stop for the police.
He appeared at Leicester Crown Court for sentencing last week.
The court heard he had a previous drink-driving conviction, from March 2022.
Pree Brada, representing Cotterill, said her client had been working for his girlfriend’s father and living with his girlfriend, “losing everything” when the relationship ended in 2019.
“He turned to cocaine and alcohol almost to self-medicate,” she said. “These issues were still ongoing and he was making the wrong choices.
“He acknowledges he needs external help.”
Recorder Justin Wigoder, sentencing, said: “This was frankly the most appalling piece of dangerous driving over an extended period, starting with the fact that you were under the influence of alcohol.
“You’ve gone driving at speed for the hell of it. You got up to 85mph on a 30mph road.
“It’s an absolute miracle that no one was killed.”
“The one pedestrian you came close to managed – just – to evade you. The police officer said he had never seen anyone drive as dangerously as that.
“That’s why I’m afraid the only outcome the court can pass in an immediate term of imprisonment.”
Cotterill was jailed for 16 months and he will be disqualified for three years after his release.
He will have to complete and extended retest before he can drive again.
You got up to 85mph on a 30mph road. It’s an absolute miracle that no one was killed
Recorder Justin Wigoder