Jail for road menace with 176 convictions
DRIVER SWITCHED OFF LIGHTS TO SHAKE OFF POLICE
A ROAD menace who drove at more than double the speed limit in a 30mph zone with his lights off as he tried to flee police has been jailed.
Serial offender Michael Bellerby, 39, was spotted behind the wheel of a Toyota Yaris on the A189 Spine Road, in Northumberland, travelling at speed.
When officers tried to pull him over after he turned off the dual carriageway onto a residential road, refused to stop and accelerated away.
Newcastle Crown Court heard he turned his lights off and police had to abandon the chase when he went into Stakeford, as it was too dangerous.
A couple of hours later, around 2.20am on November 28 last year, another police officer clocked him and a further pursuit began, southbound on the A189.
Bellerby, who had his sister in the passenger seat, again turned his lights off and managed to get away from police.
The force helicopter was deployed as police again tried to get him to stop as he drove on the A192 towards Bedlington.
The court heard he was doing 80mph in a 40mph zone and 70mph in a 30 zone and once again switched his lights off, as well as driving on the wrong side of the carriageway.
He lost control before abandoning the car and making off on foot but he was arrested nearby.
He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, aggravated vehicle taking and having no insurance.
He also admitted separate offences of fraud by false representation after using a stolen bank card to spend more than £100.
Bellerby, of no fixed abode, who has 176 previous convictions, was jailed for 22 months and banned from driving for five years and two months.
John Wilkinson, defending, said Bellerby’s sister had been the victim of domestic violence that night and he used his girlfriend’s car, whose car he was in during the offences.