Troubled man chased by police during breakdown
A TROUBLED son was chased by police across Teesside in his mum’s car during an apparent “self-harm” episode.
Ryan Nevison, 27, had a “complete mental breakdown” after a series of traumas in his life, Teesside Crown Court heard.
He got into his mother’s Honda outside her home, locked the door, refused to get out and threatened to kill himself.
He did not stop for a PC who saw him weaving between lanes on the Trunk Road, Middlesbrough, in the early hours.
He swerved, hit roadside verges and travelled around two roundabouts the wrong way.
Prosecutor Rachel Masters said officers were instructed to abort the pursuit as Nevison passed through Grangetown.
There were concerns that Nevison posed a risk to his own life, and the police continued to follow at a safe distance.
He headed into Redcar, reaching 60mph in a 30mph zone, and when his route was blocked at South Gare, he turned around.
Officers deployed a stinger device and Nevison eventually slowed down and stopped the damaged car on Kirkleatham Lane.
The uninsured, unlicensed driver surrendered but refused to give a breath specimen. No one was injured.
Nevison, of Egerton Street, central Middlesbrough, admitted aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, failing to provide a breath specimen and driving without a licence or insurance from May 22.
Nicci Horton, defending, said: “His driving was appalling. There’s absolutely no doubt of that.
“But the entire incident appears to have been a prolonged suicide-type attempt or deliberately reckless and self-harm-type behaviour from somebody who was going through effectively a complete mental breakdown at the time.”
A psychiatric report said Nevison suffered from a mild depressive disorder, made worse by a string of stresses in his life, including a relationship breakdown and eviction from his home, said Ms Horton.
His dog was hit by a car the day before the police chase, and though the pet was still alive, Nevison was “not well”.
He had turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism and ended up drinking an average of a bottle of vodka a day, Ms Horton added.
Now he was seeing a psychological service and was deemed a low risk of reoffending if he continued with the “intervention”.
Judge Peter Armstrong (left) told Nevison: “Unfortunately you seemed to be self-medicating with alcohol, which has always been recognised as being the wrong treatment for depression.
“There were a number of events in your life which clearly caused upset.
“And while you were at your mother’s house that night, you very foolishly, whilst no doubt under the influence of alcohol, took her car and drove away, threatening to commit suicide. “There was then a long pursuit by police which they had to cease at one stage in case matters got so
Judge Peter Armstrong
serious that you were involved in either killing yourself or anyone else. Fortunately you weren’t killed or injured and no one else was either, but that’s what this sort of driving potentially can do.
“So it’s fortunate for you that no one actually got injured.
“At last now you are seeking psychological services with a view to dealing with the problems you have.”
Nevison was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years with 100 hours’ unpaid work, 20 days’ rehabilitation activity and a one-year driving ban.
DANGEROUS DRIVING STUNT A ‘SELF-HARM EPISODE’
Fortunately you weren’t killed or injured and no one else was
either.