Driver in 100mph car chase gave himself up
AM O T O R I S T, whose car insurance had run out just hours earlier, panicked on seeing a police vehicle and led officers on high speed chase.
Iain Callaghan shook off a highly-trained pursuit officer by travelling at more than 100mph but after suffering a flat tyre stopped in a car park. He then came to his senses and rang the police to tell them where he was.
Callaghan also voluntarily handed over footage from his dashboard camera in which he could be heard swearing, calling officers abusive names and bragging, ‘you are not going catch me.’
The chase included travelling along residential roads and jailing Callaghan a judge said that the offence was so serious only an immediate jail sentence was justified.
Defence lawyer Christopher McMaster had urged the judge to give him another chance pointing out that Callaghan was a volunteer helper with the Salvation Army.
He was a driver for Domino’s Pizza at the time of the offence but had since been given a shop job and was in line for promotion.
Judge Alan Conrad, QC said: “It is apparent there are two sides to you, you have done good works but on the other hand your attitude to road safety and traffic law has been deplorable.”
He pointed out that Callaghan was twice convicted of dangerous driving and having no insurance in 2013 and 2014 and in this latest incident had “potentially caused great danger to members of the public.”
He jailed visibly upset Callaghan for six months and banned him from driving for two years three months.
Callaghan, 31, of Virginia Street, Southport, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.
Sarah Holt, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that the incident began in the early hours of August 25 when a police officer spotted Callaghan sitting in his car at the Texaco garage in Cemetery Road, Southport.
Callaghan, who was wearing his work uniform after finishing work, had been there for about half an hour. The officer saw that he had no insurance and when Callaghan moved off he followed and indicated for him to stop, but he did not do so.
He was then pursued along various residential roads including Liverpool Road and Guildford Road, Shaftesbury Road and Halsall Road and police helicopter deployed.
At Bentham’s Way he appeared to lose control after hitting a kerb but carried on. The officer following him was doing 100mph but Callaghan sped off and out of sight.
At 4am Callaghan rang police, told them where he was and was arrested.
“He told officers he had realised his insurance had expired at midnight and thought he would try to get away from the officers,” said Miss Holt.
Mr McMaster said that the defendant had voluntarily given police his dashboard cam footage but while being shown it held his head in hands and asked them to stop it as it was “making him sick.” the was