Drug-driver evading police hit car carrying toddler

ADRUG-DRIVER who wreaked havoc when he tried to ‘dust’ police in a dramatic car chase has been jailed.

Tony McDonough, 37, left a trail of destruction around Exeter when he raced away from police officers in a Kia Sportage.

McDonough crashed into three cars – including one carrying a 19-month-old toddler – as he raced through residential neighbourhoods, causing more damage as he went.

He pushed through traffic, overtook on the wrong side of roads and, when the vehicle was no longer driveable after the final collision, he tried to escape on foot.

McDonough was soon caught, and he boasted to police: “If I hadn’t have hit that car, I would have dusted you lot.”

The incident began at 10.30am on October 15 last year, when a police officer noticed McDonough, who was banned from driving, in a parking area, behind the wheel of the Kia. As he went to talk to him, McDonough put his foot down, first hitting a wall and then an unmarked police vehicle as he left and headed to Blackboy Road.

He drove the Kia, which had a clearly damaged front end, at speed along Mount Pleasant Road and Prince Charles Road. Police gave chase and members of the public pointed them in the direction of the speeding car.

The Kia pushed its way through traffic on Beacon Lane and collided with a second vehicle driven by a man who had his 19-month-old son as a passenger. McDonough hit the passenger side of the oncoming car. His car’s front bumper fell off, but he did not stop. Police decided to call off the chase due to the danger posed by McDonough’s high-speed driving in a residential area.

McDonough then drove by shops in Whipton and on to Pinhoe Road, before smashing into a car on Vaughan Road. The driver, his wife and one of the two children on board suffered whiplash and some physical injuries. Their car was a write-off.

McDonough and his passenger were seen to flee, but were caught a short time later by police. McDonough tested above the limit for cocaine.

McDonough, of Heavitree Road, Exeter, has 39 previous crimes to his name, mostly for dishonesty. He was banned from driving in 2022 for being unfit through drugs.

Rachel Smith, defending, said McDonough had panicked when he saw police. He suffers from ADHD but there was no medication available at the time due to a “national shortage”. She said he was a “complex individual” who had suffered “catastrophic levels of trauma” in his life. She said both his parents were drug addicts, he was given his first drugs at just nine years old and was expelled from school.

Within a three-year period in his youth, his father went to prison and took his own life, she added. His mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and took her own life. In 2007, his brother attempted suicide by jumping from a viaduct.

Judge David Evans said blaming a shortage of medication for his behaviour was undermined by the fact that he had taken cocaine and made a decision to drive his partner’s car when banned.

The judge said: “The three offences combined and with all of the aggravating factors mean it is simply too serious for anything other than immediate custody.”

McDonough was jailed for nine months after admitting dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

AN Exeter support worker says she was slapped with two parking fines, despite displaying her worker’s permit.

She says she wants to warn others who might get caught out by what she describes as “confusing” small print.

The support worker, who asked to remain anonymous, says she was issued with two parking charge notices from Exeter-based company Premier Park Ltd, after having parked in Darwin Court, on Melbourne Street, on October 24 and 27 last year.

She says she displayed her care and health worker permit on both occasions. According to the terms and conditions set out on Devon County Council’s website, the permits allow carers and health professionals to park outside their client’s homes.

The website says: “Permits are only issued to care and health professionals to park their cars when making home visits to their patients or clients for care or medical-related purposes whilst parked outside their patient/ client’s home address.”

However, further down in the terms and conditions, a number of places where the permit does not allow parking are listed. This includes off-street car parks and privately-run car parks, as is the case for Darwin Court car park.

The Exeter support worker said: “I go there quite often. I’ve got a Care and Health Worker’s parking permit which I displayed in the window. To my horror, a week later I got home and there was a letter from Premier Park Ltd with photographs of my car, saying ‘you were captured illegally parked in residents’ parking without a valid permit’. As far as I’m concerned, that was a valid permit.

“I’ve never had it anywhere else, they seem to be very heavy-handed. It’s very annoying as both times I was working and I don’t earn very much, about £10 an hour. I got fined £60 each time. Not only did I get one, I got home three days later and there was another one in the post.

“What I do now is try to get a visitors’ permit from the resident or sometimes I park across the road because that’s easier.

“I paid the fine because I wasn’t terribly well and I didn’t want any more aggro. I earn a fraction of what I paid in the fine.

“It’s just not fair. If I’d been parking there and gone off for the day shopping, that would be different, but I’m actually working. I’ve parked there other times and nothing has happened, so I assumed my permit was valid.”

She says she has tried to contact Premier Park Ltd in order to clarify the situation, but has received no response.

Premier Park Ltd has been approached for comment.