Out of jail – and on the rampage
RELEASED CONVICT RAMS POLICE CARS DURING CHASE
A DANGEROUS driver who had been released from prison on licence for causing serious injury while behind the wheel rammed police cars and almost pinned an officer against a wall.
Paul Clark had been let out of prison for the previous offence but had clearly not learned his lesson.
A court heard he wrote of a parked VW Passat, damaged an Audi then sped through the streets, mounting kerbs and driving on a footpath with his passenger door wide open.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the 29-year-old was eventually brought to a halt when police deployed a stinger device.
An officer involved in the pursuit said it was a “miracle” nobody was badly hurt.
Prosecutor
Penny
Hall
told
the court police had been called to a disturbance at Concord Square in Sunderland on April 14 and an officer indicated for Clark to stop when she saw him behind the wheel of a black VW Golf, close to the scene.
The court heard the road menace, who has a record for motoring convictions, went onto a pavement, collided with a wall and hit the parked Passat.
The officer opened Clark’s passenger door but he revved his engine and moved his vehicle back and forward to get off the grass and drove off.
Miss Hall said the officer was “concerned she would be pinned against a wall” as he drove off with the door still open and hit an Audi.
Tactical pursuit officers were drafted in to try and stop Clark, who mounted a kerb and drove onto a footpath, and they tried to box him in.
Miss Hall added: “He rammed a police car and managed to make off again.”
Clark then went the wrong way around a roundabout, rammed another police vehicle and was eventually brought to a standstill using a spiked tyre deflation device.
Clark, of Pembroke Avenue, Sunderland, admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and having no insurance. Judge Edward Bindloss sentenced him to 14 months behind bars with a four year road ban.
The judge told him: “The possibility of risk to police officers and members of the public was high.”
Nick Lane, defending, said Clark had “panicked.
He added: “He wishes to apologise for this. He makes no excuse for his behaviour and he is deeply ashamed and disgusted by the manner of his driving.”
Mr Lane said Clark had just split from his partner and “reverted to his old ways” and was on valium.