Police chase with dangerous driver halted by stinger

HigH-speed pursuit tHrougH county villages

A DAngeROus driver’s half-hour police chase through villages was finally halted by a stinger device.

sean Daniel Fitzgerald ignored at least three red lights and was hellbent on fleeing from pursuing officers, because he was banned from driving.

The high-speed pursuit through countryside and villages only came to an end after the fleeing vehicle’s tyres were burst.

sinjin Bulbring, prosecuting, said officers on patrol spotted the defendant at the wheel of a seat car at 2.30am in Cossington Road, Rothley, as it crossed a junction at speed.

The 29-year-old, whose brother was also in the car, ignored blue flashing lights and sirens signalling him to stop and continued “at excessive speed” on the A6 Loughborough Road and the A46, before heading towards Mountsorrel and going through Quorn.

The route included sileby, sutton Bonington and Kegworth – where a stringer was deployed and the vehicle was eventually stopped on the A6 at about 3am.

Fitzgerald pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving when disqualified and having no insurance or licence, on August 12.

Leicester Crown Court heard that Fitzgerald had 78 offences on his criminal record.

They include two dangerous driving convictions, in 2017 and last year, as well as aggravated vehicle taking in 2016.

Judge Keith Raynor said: “You were in a police chase for 25 to 30 minutes. It was a bad piece of dangerous driving.”

He said although the roads were clear in the early hours, it was more through luck that there was no collision.

The judge said: “You put your foot down and wanted to get away from the police, even doing 70mph in 30mph areas.

“You have recent highly relevant previous convictions which is a seriously aggravating feature.

“You remain a risk to the public with your driving record and the need for punishment is paramount in this case.”

Rebecca Barrowcliffe, mitigating, said: “He takes full responsibility for his actions and described his own actions as ‘stupid’ by putting his life and that of his brother in danger.

“Fortunately, there was no other traffic and no pedestrians.”

The barrister said her client had been diagnosed with ADHD and his mental health deteriorated prior to the incident.

On the day of the offence he was visiting the Rothley home of a female friend who gave him permission to drive the car.

Miss Barrowcliffe said: “He made the wrong decision to drive and when he saw the police he panicked, knowing he was disqualified and had also been drinking, but he was not over the limit.”

Fitzgerald, of no fixed address, was jailed for 10 months.

He was banned from driving for three years and five months.