A dangerous driver involved in a police pursuit on the M6 at Winwick, Warrington, later crashing into two parked cars with such force both were “destroyed”, has been jailed.
Jack Watson appeared at Chester Crown court on Friday 19 April, where he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
The 35-year-old, of Hartfield Avenue, Brighton, had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.
The court heard that on Friday 22 March 2022, Roads and Crime officers from Cheshire Police responded to reports that a silver Seat Ateca had been seen swerving on the M6 motorway in Cheshire.
Officers quickly located the vehicle that was being driven by Watson, near Junction 22 of the M6 at Winwick, Warrington, travelling at excess speeds through a 50mph roadworks area.
Between Junctions 25 and 26, when out of the roadworks area, two Police patrols made attempts to stop Watson’s vehicle, but he failed to stop and continued to flee from police, with officers then engaging in a pursuit.
Watson exited the motorway at the last moment at junction 27 of the M6, pulling in front of a HGV also leaving the motorway, and headed toward Shevington, near Wigan.
Officers continued in their pursuit of Watson, who continued to drive in excess of the speed limit and in a dangerous manner through the villages of Shevington, Gathurst, Orrel, Longshaw and Billinge in Merseyside.
The pursuit concluded in Billinge when Watson collided with residential property and parked car. Such was the impact that he destroyed both vehicles and caused thousands of pounds worth of structural damage to the house.
Despite being injured, Watson continued to evade police, decamping from the crashed vehicle, and fleeing on foot from officers – he was later found hiding in the rear garden of the house he had crashed into.
Following his arrest officers discovered that Watson had obtained the car from a rental company before he had been insured and given permission to drive the vehicle, they also found that he was subject to a current disqualification from driving for similar offences.
Watson refused to answer any questions, aside from the fact that he was disqualified from driving. But despite this, he was subsequently charged with dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.
Police Constable Richardson, of the Force’s Roads and Crime Unit, said:”Jack Watson’s decisions that day not only endangered the lives of other road users and the officers pursuing him, but he also risked seriously harming members of the public sat inside what is meant to be the safety of their own home.
“When Watson’s vehicle eventually came to a stop, which was a result of his reckless driving and thinking he could outrun police, he caused considerable damage to a vehicle he did not have permission to drive or own, a parked vehicle and the exterior of someone’s home. All of this would have been avoided if Watson had not got behind the wheel that day.
“As a force, we do all we can to educate and encourage all motorists to drive safely on Cheshire’s roads and this incident sends a message that we will not hesitate to act against those individuals set on flouting the rules of the road and who think the law does not apply to them. It is also my hope that Watson finally learns from this and never places himself in this position again.”
If you have any information in relation to dangerous driving or speeding, please contact us via cheshire.police.uk/tell-us or call 101. Information can also be passed on anonymously via CrimeStoppers.
Information on the penalties for speeding can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/speeding-penalties
