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Drug-driving Sunderland dad led police on chase through city centre before crashing into lamppost

By
February 15, 2023
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A Sunderland dad high on drugs has been jailed for a 60-second early hours danger drive where he powered blindly down a walkway while being pursued by police.

Unlicensed and uninsured Kieron Wright, 30, is starting 40 weeks behind bars for his cannabis-fired 50mph antics at the wheel of his Ford Focus.

After his arrest, Wright, of Rosedale Street, Bishopwearmouth, admitted he was so drugged up he could not recall getting into the motor.

He was caught on police dashcam driving above the speed limit in city centre High Street East at 1.47am on Friday, November 11.

Footage shows him flinging his motor over speed bumps while being pursued and stopping only when he jammed it between a lamppost and railings in Coronation Street.

A blood test showed he was over the legal limit for cannabis derivative THC, and illegal amphetamine was also found in the vehicle.

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Kathryn Meek told him his drug taking had made him oblivious to the danger he posed to unsuspecting pedestrians.

She said video showed his driving was “completely out of control” – and confirmed he had confessed to having no recollection of taking the wheel due to drugs.

Prosecutor Lesley Burgess said: “Police state he was driving at up to 50mph in a 30mph area.

“Officers describe it as being a residential area and on two occasions his car mounts the footpath.

“He then collided with railings and was arrested for dangerous driving. A roadside swab was positive for cocaine.

“A swab at the police station showed he was under the limit for cocaine, but a blood sample showed he was over for cannabis.

“He was also found to not have insurance or a driving licence, and checks found a small bag of white powder in the car. It was amphetamine.”

Wright pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, possession of a single wrap of class B amphetamine and drug driving at an earlier hearing.

He also admitted driving without a licence, driving without insurance and failing to stop for police.

His reading for cannabis derivative THC was 2.2mcg per litre of blood. The legal limit is 2mcg.

Footage showed Wright also driving on Sans Street, Borough Road and Hendon Road.

David Wright, defending, said the pursuit had been short and dashcam showed no other drivers or pedestrians.

Mr Wright added: “It’s less than 60 seconds before he comes to a stop. I don’t think we see a single person or a car during the clip.

“If the custody threshold is crossed you do have the option of imposing a suspended sentence of up to 12 months.

“The Probation report does contain a lot of positive information. He has expressed to me that he does want help with his drugs’ use.”

Judge Meek jailed Wright for 40 weeks for dangerous driving, 12 weeks for drug-driving and four weeks for drug possession, to run concurrently.

She banned him from driving for 40 months, due to a drink-drive conviction in 2013, and he must take an extended driving test. He must also pay a £187 victim surcharge.

Sunderland Echo

Britain First supporter gave Nazi salute and drove car at curry house owner on anniversary of Brexit vote

By
January 12, 2018
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A Britain First supporter who gave a Nazi salute, shouted “white power” and drove at a curry house owner during a drunken rampage has been jailed.

Marek Zakrocki told a police officer he was going to “kill a Muslim” before launching his London attack on the anniversary of the Brexit vote.

While the 48-year-old was sentenced to 33 weeks in prison for his attack, he is likely to walk later on Friday, having served his time on remand.

Zakrocki, who was originally charged with attempted murder, had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and battering his wife.

The white van driver also admitted drink-driving as he appeared via video link from Wormwood Scrubs for sentencing at the Old Bailey where he was jailed for 33 weeks for the attack outside Spicy Night in Alexandra Parade, Harrow, north-west London.

Judge Anthony Leonard QC said: “You committed these offences at a time of heightened tension because of the attack on a Muslim outside a Mosque in London.”

The judge said there was evidence of “abhorrent” racist views but his crime was due to the effect of alcohol.

He added: “In your drunken state what you said and the way you behaved would have been both offensive and put persons in fear.”

As well as his prison sentence, Zakrocki has been disqualified from driving for three years.

ITV News

Little Hulton teenager Lucas Hughes sentenced after danger drive through eight red lights in Bolton and Bury

By
June 15, 2017
Uncategorized

A TEENAGER drove through eight sets of red traffic lights and avoided a police stinger by mounting a pavement.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Lucas Hughes, who had no licence or insurance, was at the wheel of a Ford Ka which failed to stop for police on the afternoon of March 11.

The court was shown a video of 19-year-old Hughes’ drive through parts of Bolton and Bury taken from the police helicopter.

Hughes was seen driving on the wrong side of the road, overtaking other vehicles through Bradshaw, Harwood, Affetside,Tonge Moor, along Crompton Way and Thicketford Road before he and two passengers abandoned the vehicle in Gibson Street.

Rachel Faux, prosecuting said police had deployed a stinger to stop the vehicle, but Hughes spotted it and drove onto the pavement to avoid it.

As Hughes and his passengers fled the police helicopter directed officers and all three were arrested.

Miss Faux said that Hughes accepted his driving at the time had been dangerous.

He explained why he had not stopped when he realised he was being followed by the helicopter.

“He thought the helicopter could only fly for an hour and would run out of fuel before he would,” said Miss Faux.

Hughes, of Sandown Crescent, Little Hulton, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and having no licence or insurance.

Gordon Hennell, defending, stressed: “It is more by luck than good management that there was no collision and no one suffered any injury.”

He added that Hughes, who lives with his bricklayer father and teaching assistant mother, is remorseful.

“This is not by any means the worst possible case [of driving] although it is a bad case,” said Mr Hennell.

Recorder Mark Ainsworth sentenced Hughes to an intensive community order with a three-month 9pm to 5am curfew.

In addition he must participate in 35 days of rehabilitation activities and is banned from holding a driving licence for 18 months, after which he will have to take an extended test. The court also ordered that he forfeit the Ford Ka.

Bolton News