Consett drink driver rammed past police car then drove off

Durham Crown Court was told police were called to Front Street, Consett, following a report that a "significantly intoxicated" man was getting into a Vauxhall Astra car, at about 1.20am on Monday, September 4, last year.

As Judge Jo Kidd told defendant Anthony Basey: “That intoxicated man was you and it was clear to numerous people in your vicinity perfectly well what your state was.”

The court heard that a police vehicle approached in a manner so as to prevent the Astra from leaving the area.

Jonathan Walker, prosecuting, said Basey did drive off, posing potential danger to pedestrians in the area and to his partner in the passenger seat.

In trying to get through the gap available he drove into the side of the police car ahead of him, damaging the side and front.

He then drove off at speeds of up to 100-miles per hour down Front Street, and onto neighbouring side streets, before coming to a halt on Delves Lane, where he was arrested as he tried to hide on the roof of a building.

Basey failed a roadside drink/drive test and a subsequent test reading for alcohol was almost three times above the legal limit to take to the road.

The 28-year-old defendant, of Derby Crescent, Consett, admitted driving over the limit for alcohol and dangerous driving.

Tony Davis, in mitigation, said the defendant has only one previous conviction, for a relatively minor offence of violence dating from 2020.

Mr Davis the court: “This was an offence borne out of him clearly having panicked when approached by the police officers in that vehicle.

“He has no explanation other than clearly the implications of being caught drink driving and the impact that would consequently have had on the business he has striven to get up and running.”

Mr David described the damage caused to the side and front-end bumper of the police vehicle as, “limited”.

“It’s not a high impact speed collision.

“The officer pulled alongside and there was some jockeying and then Mr Basey pulled away.

“That was the culpability, the driving away from the police.

“Obviously there was a deliberate disregard for the risks, but there was no injury to any individual.”

Mr Davis said the pursuit was over a short duration, of about a minute.

“He speeds away along the back streets and it was highly unlikely there would be many people around at that point in any event.

"It was a short length of tine before he stopped the vehicle and decamped.

“He, himself, describes his behaviour as ‘disgraceful’.

"He understands it was a disgraceful piece of driving and behaviour.”

Mr Davis said the defendant had just established his business to get off benefits and the consequences of the offences could be “mammoth” for him, his young family and his fledgling enterprise.

Judge Kidd said there was an obvious risk to members of the public in the vicinity of the Front Street by the manner the defendant rammed his way past the police vehicle.

“You then had every opportunity to reflect on it and what you had done.

“Your passenger was placed at great risk by your actions.

“Having rammed into the police car you sped down the road and cut through back streets at speeds of up to 100-mph with no regard for the police or your partner.

“When your vehicle came to a stop you ran off and were found on a roof trying to hide from them (the police).

“It seems to me you lost any sense of control with your decision-making process and I don’t accept you had no memory.

“Only a custodial sentence is appropriate despite the fact you are not heavily convicted and the significant impact on your partner and family.”

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She said after trial the prison sentence would have been 15 months.

But, she reduced it by one-third to reflect the defendant’s prompt guilty plea when the case initially went before magistrates.

Judge Kidd also imposed a 29-month driving disqualification on the defendant, who must then pass an extended re-test if he is legitimately permitted to drive again.