Driver smashed into police cars
Reporter A MINDLESS danger driver had to be rescued from his own car after he crashed into two police vehicles during a pursuit.
Reckless Darren Lee got behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Tigra, which he’d taken without the owner’s consent, and led officers on a chase on the A1 north of Gosforth, in Newcastle.
A “tactical attempt” to stop him was made by the police but Lee smashed through their cordon and into two of their vehicles, a court heard.
And the 43-year-old then had to be rescued after becoming trapped as the crash impact caused his car to flip over, prosecutors said.
Now, Lee, of Eshott Court, East Denton, has been banned from the roads and is facing a prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking and driving without a licence or insurance.
James Long, prosecuting at South East Northumberland Magistrates’ Court, said officers received a report that Lee had taken a Vauxhall Tigra without the owner’s consent and driven off on Saturday, July 7.
Officers searched for him and he was soon spotted travelling in the vehicle on the A1 north of Gosforth.
Mr Long told magistrates: “The defendant is requested to stop by a marked police car but he fails to stop. There’s a pursuit where there’s a tactical attempt to stop him.
“He goes around the cordon of police cars and collides with two police cars, causing damage to them.
“The defendant’s vehicle then overturns and he’s trapped in it briefly until he’s helped out by police officers.”
Mr Long told the court that Lee appeared drunk and was taken to hospital, where a blood test was taken.
The prosecutor added: “The results of that test are not yet known but the prosecution say that he was not just over the limit but drunk.” Mr Long said that the magistrates’ powers to finalise the case were insufficient and Lee should be committed to the crown court for sentence.
Alanna Wesencraft, defending, said Lee had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity but full mitigation would be submitted once a pre-sentence report had been prepared.
Magistrates released Lee on conditional bail to be sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on August 7.
In the meantime, he was given a interim driving disqualification.