Dangerous driver taken off the roads
Main article content
A dangerous driver was behind bars just in time for the bank holiday weekend after having a run in with our Durham Roads & Armed Policing Unit officers on Thursday.
PCs Lee Smith and Bradley Jones were patrolling Easington just before noon when they spotted disqualified driver Andrew Paul Garthwaite leaving a car park in a Volvo C30.
Knowing he’d been clocked, Garthwaite then sped through neighbouring streets, putting pedestrians and other road users at risk as he drove in excess of 70mph in the 30mph zones.
After trying and failing to lose the officers by driving in circles around the backstreets, Garthwaite tried the next tactical decision in the criminal handbook – park the car up and stand next to it pretending you don’t know anything.
When he realised that wasn’t going to work, Garthwaite tried to leg it but was chased down by PC Smith with some expert backup from PC Jones’ drone skills.
Garthwaite was arrested and charged with dangerous driving, disqualified driving and having no insurance.
He was remanded and put before Peterlee Magistrates’ Court the next day where he pleaded guilty to all offences and was handed a 37-week prison sentence.
The 30-year-old, of no fixed abode, was also disqualified from driving for a further three years.