Sealand man jailed for high speed police chase near Chester – LeaderLive

A man who drove dangerously in a bid to get away from police has been jailed.

Stefan Kelly, 23, at one stage drove around a police officer who stood in front of him to stop him but he later crashed into another vehicle.

Kelly, of East Green in Sealand, received a 12-month prison sentence and was banned from driving for 18 months.

He was also ordered at Mold Crown Court to take an extended driving test.

Judge Niclas Parry described it as a prolonged piece of dangerous driving when he had repeatedly put other road users at risk.

But for the evasive actions of other drivers, there would have been other collisions, Judge Parry said.

He ignored warnings during the police chase and there was a collision with another vehicle.

The judge said all that occurred when he was uninsured and a disqualified driver, which showed an utter disregard for court orders and for the safety of other road users.

His case was aggravated by his previous convictions which included a robbery charge, two previous charges of aggravated vehicle taking and a previous conviction for dangerous driving.

Only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified, he said, but he would receive maximum credit for his guilty pleas.

The court heard how Kelly admitted dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving without insurance and driving while disqualified when he appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court last month.

His case was sent to the crown court for sentence.

Prosecuting barrister Matthew Dunford told how at 2.30pm on Friday, July 29 last year the defendant was seen driving a BMW 318 in an erratic way behind an unmarked police car on the A494.

The officer lit up the vehicles stop sign but the defendant overtook the police car and pulled in front of him, before exiting on a slip road towards Chester.

He drove at about 45 mph in a 30 mph limit area and went on the wrong side of the road, overtaking vehicles and causing oncoming vehicles to brake.

Kelly performed a sudden stop and left his car, was pursued on foot but then ran back into the vehicle.

The officer stood in front of the vehicle but Kelly drove around him and sped off, explained Mr Dunford.

Again the driving was erratic and caused other road users to take evasive action, he said.

The police located the car about a mile from where it had last been seen.

He was said to have done a wheel spin away from a junction leaving plumes of tyre smoke.

But then he drove into the back of a Mondeo being driven by Philip Keith and Kelly drove off without stopping, leaving the other driver with a sore neck and pain to his left hand.

His passenger also had a sore neck following the impact.

Kelly was eventually tracked down by the police but in interview gave no comment replies.

Robin Boag, defending, said Kelly suffered from dyslexia, he was working, and his girlfriend was due to give birth.

They had just been allocated a tenancy in Mold and it was believed a move from Deeside would be good for him.

He had convictions but had not been in trouble since 2013 and he had shown an ability to stay out of trouble.

Mr Boag suggested a suspended sentence with rehabilitation but the judge took a different view.

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Sealand man jailed for high speed police chase near Chester - LeaderLive