Menace put pal in peril with ‘joy ride’ police getaway
DANGER DRIVER LEFT MOTORIST INJURED
ROAD menace David McGuire left another driver seriously injured after taking an unsuspecting work friend on a terrifying late-night police chase “joy ride”.
McGuire had no licence but offered to give colleague Carl Doran a lift to their shifts after he passed an interview for a new job last October.
Newcastle Crown Court heard when police tried to pull over McGuire at around midnight on November 1 last year, as he and Mr Doran were on their way to work, he accelerated off at “high speed”.
Mr Doran told police McGuire drove as if he was on a “joy ride” and he even warned him he might “kill someone”.
Moments later, McGuire lost control of his car, which had crossed to the wrong side of the road, and smashed head-on into a vehicle being driven by Graham Tuffnell.
The court heard Mr Doran was knocked unconscious and Mr Tuffnell had to be cut from his car, suffering a broken arm and muscular damage.
Despite the injuries he caused,
McGuire fled the scene of the crash but was chased and caught by one of the police officers who had been in pursuit of his car.
McGuire, 35, of Priory Road, Jarrow, who has previous convictions for drink driving, having no insurance, failing to stop after an accident and driving while disqualified, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and having no insurance.
Prosecutor Vince Ward told the court police had tried to pull over McGuire in Jarrow and added: “Carl Doran was a work colleague of the defendant. The defendant had picked him up to take him to work shortly before. That was their normal practice.”
The court heard when officers tried to pull over McGuire, who was driving a Volkswagen Passat, he told Mr Doran “the police were after him”.
Mr Ward added: “He didn’t explain why, despite being asked. The defendant ignored Mr Doran when he asked what he was playing at.
“The defendant also ignored Mr Doran repeatedly asking him to pull over and let him out.
“He warned the defendant he may kill someone, given the man
ner of his driving.” The court heard Mr Doran said McGuire’s was driving like he was on a “joy ride”.
Mr Doran was left with a sore arm, shoulder and ribs after the crash.
Mr Tuffnell, who runs an IT company, needed surgery and physiotherapy and said the smash had a “devastating” affect on his business.
Judge Robert Adams sentenced McGuire to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 240 hours unpaid work and a 30-month road ban with extended test requirement.
The judge told him: “Mr Doran asked you repeatedly to stop driving, let him out, asked you what you were playing at, asked you to pull over and formed the view you were likely to kill someone with the way you were driving.
“He described your driving as if you were on a joy ride.”
The judge said despite the seriousness of the offence, McGuire was capable of rehabilitation in the community.
Rachel Hedworth, defending, said McGuire had been out of trouble for five years before he committed the offence and has been in no trouble since.
Miss Hedworth said McGuire had feelings “akin to a nervous breakdown” after the crash and has “complete remorse” for what happened.
Miss Hedworth said McGuire, who had bought the car cheaply to enable him to drive to work but had been unable to afford insurance, now works long shifts at a new job at an abattoir to pay off debts.