A 23-year-old driver has been banned from the roads after police uncovered compelling footage of him performing dangerous drifting manoeuvres around roundabouts and in close proximity to pedestrians.
William Hoy was captured on camera spinning his black BMW in tight circles and at high speed, with two passengers seen hanging precariously from the back windows during the stunts. Further clips showed Hoy executing the same reckless manoeuvre around a stationary pedestrian, and deliberately drifting his vehicle across a roundabout as another car approached, before driving off.
Police confirmed that these clips, all filmed at night, came to light as part of an ongoing investigation into antisocial driving and illegal car meets, ultimately leading to Hoy's disqualification.
Hoy, of Mortimer in West Berkshire, received a suspended sentence last week after pleading guilty to three counts of dangerous driving and three counts of careless driving, Hampshire Police said on Friday.
The charges relate to incidents that took place in Basingstoke, Alton, Petersfield and Yateley in Hampshire, and Earley in Berkshire, between August 11 and October 27 2024.
He was handed an 18‑month custodial sentence suspended for two years at Winchester Crown Court, and was disqualified from driving for two years.
He was also ordered to complete a 24‑day rehabilitation activity requirement, 200 hours of unpaid work, and pay £1,000 in fines and costs.
Police Sergeant James Hall, of the Roads Policing Unit, said: “This kind of driving is completely unacceptable.
“Hoy’s actions put other road users at significant risk, and it’s only by sheer luck that no one was seriously hurt.
“The two‑year driving ban reflects the seriousness of his actions and should act as a clear warning to anyone who thinks they can treat our roads like a playground.
“His driving posed a real risk to the public, and we will continue our work to ensure dangerous drivers like this are swiftly taken off our roads.”
