THIS is the moment a speeding car races through a town at 135mph with cops in hot pursuit.
The rogue driver – in a suspected stolen car – is eventually snared by stingers and smashes into a wall, in dramatic footage released by Nottinghamshire Police.
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Land and air responders teamed up to halt the offender, before three arrests were made.
The lengthy pursuit took place along the A46 from Radcliffe-on-Trent to Newark after a car believed to be on cloned plates was spotted.
Cops’ first sighting of the vehicle was at around 10.20pm on Saturday, but despite turning on their blue lights the driver accelerated away.
The car was driven dangerously along the A-road for the next few minutes, with gas cannisters thrown from the vehicle at the police cars following behind.
At one point the car reached speeds of 135mph.
A mixture of policing teams – aided by the National Police Air Service (NPAS) flying overhead – worked together to track the car as it continued at speed towards Newark.
After driving the wrong way around Farndon roundabout, the car’s tyres were stung by waiting officers to slow it down before it could make its way into the centre of town.
SPARKS FLYING
With sparks flying everywhere and the wheels on the rims, the still-moving vehicle was stung a second time, and crashed into a wall in Tolney Lane, shortly afterwards.
While one of the car’s occupants was immediately detained, the rest jumped out and made a run for it, with officers giving chase on foot – supported by the dog team and NPAS in the air.
Following a lengthy chase in the dark over fields and through rivers, two other suspects were also stopped and brought under arrest, with a knife recovered from one of them.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, failing to stop, theft of a vehicle, possessing a knife in public, and driving without insurance or a licence.
Police also arrested two boys, aged 14 and 17, on suspicion of dangerous driving.
The 17-year-old was additionally arrested on suspicion of theft of a vehicle and possessing Class B drugs.
Officers from the force’s Operational Support teams worked with response colleagues, the Newark neighbourhood policing team and NPAS to help secure the arrests.
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What is the law around dangerous driving – can you go to prison?
The offence of dangerous driving under section 2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 is committed when the defendant’s driving falls far below the standard expected of a competent and careful driver and it would be obvious that driving in that way would be dangerous – section 2A of the RTA 1988.
Some typical examples from court cases of dangerous driving are:
- racing, going too fast, or driving aggressively;
- ignoring traffic lights, road signs or warnings from passengers;
- overtaking dangerously;
- driving under the influence of drink or drugs, including prescription drugs;
- driving when unfit, including having an injury, being unable to see clearly, not taking prescribed drugs, or being sleepy;
- knowing the vehicle has a dangerous fault or an unsafe load;
- the driver being avoidably and dangerously distracted, for example by:
- using a hand-held phone or other equipment
- reading, or looking at a map
- talking to and looking at a passenger
- lighting a cigarette, changing a CD or tape, tuning the radio.
Receiving a dangerous driving charge is the most serious motoring offence that can be committed without causing death or injury, says Ringrose Law.
If you are convicted, you face the possibility of being sent to prison for up to two years, and you will be disqualified from driving for a minimum of twelve months.
