Banned driver did 101mph to escape police
A DISQUALIFIED driver hit 101mph as he sped away from a police car during an early hours chase.
McCauley Morgan narrowly avoided a head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle as he lost control of his car and swerved across the central white line on the dark, wet night.
Sentencing him at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said: “People who drive in this way must expect to go to prison.”
The court heard the incident happened at 12.40am on September 23.
Bethan Evans, prosecuting, said a police officer saw the defendant driving a Vauxhall Corsa on the A469 at Pontlottyn in Caerphilly.
The officer saw him “speed away” north towards the A465 and followed him.
Prosecutors said the officer turned on his siren and blue flashing lights, but the driver did not stop.
The court heard he accelerated to 101mph as the police gave chase. He narrowly avoided an oncoming car as he swerved across the central line.
Ms Evans said the defendant took a roundabout at 48mph and another officer used a “stinger” device to puncture his tyres.
Morgan turned westbound on to the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road, but his tyres were deflating and he veered on to a grass embankment.
He was arrested, handcuffed and made no reply to the caution, or to any questions asked in his subsequent interview.
Prosecutors said he had 26 previous offences on his record, including six of driving while disqualified, five of driving without insurance and three of dangerous driving.
He was jailed for 18 months in August last year for dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.
The defendant was recalled to prison following the latest offences and will serve the remainder of that sentence behind bars.
Ms Evans said aggravating features included the “excessive speed”, his previous convictions and the fact there was a passenger in the car.
Morgan, 23, from Heol Iago in Fochriw, Bargoed, admitted driving dangerously, while disqualified, without insurance and failing to stop.
Rosamund Rutter, defending, said the chase did not last for that long, the defendant did not injure anyone and he complied with the police.
She told the court: “He is thoroughly ashamed of his driving.”
In a character reference, his grandmother said he had a “difficult upbringing”.
He started taking medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when he was 13, but his medication was changed in prison, then stopped for a time when he was released.
Judge Lloyd-Clarke said: “You have a long and appalling record for driving offences.
“This was a deliberate course of dangerous driving in order to avoid apprehension by the police.”
Morgan was jailed for 20 months and disqualified from driving for five years from the time of his release.