Jailed: Telford drink-driver led police on 100mph chase
A Telford drink-driver has been jailed after he hit a police car, ran red lights and reached speeds of 80mph in built-up areas of Telford before hitting 100mph on the M54.
The pursuit from Oakengates to Shrewsbury involved three police cars and was only stopped when the last officer deliberately put his vehicle in the path of Steven Gwilliam.
When breathalysed Gwilliam was almost twice the legal alcohol limit. His van was also found to have false number plates, no insurance, tax or MoT certificate.
Judge Peter Barrie said it had been highly dangerous driving as Gwilliam, 35, of Bishopsdale, Brookside, tried to escape from police.
“It is only by good fortune that this did not result in a serious injury or worse,” the judge said at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday.
He imposed a 10-month jail sentence with a two-year driving ban after Gwilliam admitted charges of dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol and having no insurance, tax and MoT.
Pursuit
Rob Edwards, prosecuting, said Gwilliam was spotting driving his Astra van out of the Hare and Hounds pub car park in Oakengates on the night of December 16. He said Gwilliam had ignored the police’s flashing blue lights and instead sped up.
There then followed a pursuit through Oakengates and Priorslee at speeds of up to 80mph in a 30mph zone. Gwilliam went through a red light then on to the M54, with the van travelling at up to 100mph.
“It was decided for safety that there had to be a tactical impact and a police car emerged from a side road and collided with the van, bringing it to a stop,” Mr Edwards said.
“Conditions were icy with patches of snow still on parts of the road,” he added.
When a breath test was carried out Gwilliam was found to have 60 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.
Mr Peter Hemming, defending, said Gwilliam had seen the police car and panicked because he had been drinking and also had false plates to avoid paying insurance.
