Banned driver who crashed into Grade-II listed café after 80mph police chase 'wanted to see his daughters'
Anthony Barret was trying to evade police when he crashed into the former Eighty-Six'd café on Waterloo Street
A banned driver who crashed into a Grade-II listed Ironbridge café building having sped at up to four times the speed limit during a police pursuit has been spared jail.
Anthony Barret, 49, of High Street, Ironbridge, crashed his car into the former Eighty-Six'd cafe on Waterloo Street, Ironbridge on Monday, December 29.
The building was badly damaged following the incident, which occurred in the early hours of the morning.
On Friday (May 29) Barret appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court to be sentenced having admitted dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, failing to provide a specimen, driving with no insurance and criminal damage to a building.
The court was told the crash was preceded by a high speed chase with police when two officers spotted Barret behind the wheel of a Ford Focus in Telford at around 1.40am.
It was being driven by a male, but the car was flagged up by a police computer as only being insured to a female, the court was told.
The court heard that officers then began a pursuit with “blue lights” flashing, but Barret “failed to stop” and a high-speed chase began.
The court was then played dashcam footage of the chase, which involved Barret driving up to 80mph in a 20mph zone in Telford town centre, hurtling through urban estates at twice the speed limit as well as running a red light and taking roundabouts the wrong way.
On one occasion an incoming car had to swerve out the way.
The 15-minute police chase ended when Barret “lost control” and crashed into the Ironbridge café, which was Grade-II listed.
The court heard the crash had cost the owner £20,000 in lost income and costs.
Barret was banned from driving at the time of the crash, having been convicted of drink driving last May. He also had a previous conviction for drug driving.
Barret also refused a blood test for cannabis, despite his eyes being in the “worst state of jaundice” the arresting officer had ever seen.
Rosemary Proctor, defending Barret, said he made the “foolish decision” to drive that night because he wanted to see his daughters in London.
She asked the judge to suspend any sentence, adding the defendant was “very sorry” for his actions that night.
Judge Anthony Lowe described Barret’s driving as “madness”, adding that if more oncoming cars were on the road at the time the consequences would have been “catastrophic”.
“You were dangerously driving while trying to evade the police as you were a disqualified driver and the inference of you failing to provide a specimen was because you knew you would test positive for drugs, likely cannabis,” he said.
He jailed Barret for 20 months but suspended the sentence for 18 months, adding it was the defendant’s “last chance”.
He also ordered Barret pay compensation to the café owner of £3,600.
Barret also banned from driving for a further three years, and ordered to attend 15 rehabilitation days with the probation service.