A dangerous driver crashed into a car during a police chase while claiming he was taking a friend to hospital. He reached up to 80mph during the chase which only came to a stop when a stinger was used to puncture his tires.
Serial offender Simon Dickey, 35, was seen by police driving in a reckless manner in Newport on September 6 on the Coldra Roundabout before heading onto Southern Distributor Road and narrowly avoiding a collision. An officer illuminated his vehicle's blue lights but the defendant carried on driving at speed, turning onto Hendre Farm Road.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard Dickey collided with a stationary Vauxhall Zafira during the chase, which was subsequently written off. Regardless, he continued to drive his BMW at 50mph in a 30mph zone with significant front end damage.
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He drove around the Llanwern roundabout in the wrong direction and caused another vehicle to stop suddenly and drove onto other roads while cutting corners on the wrong side, forcing other vehicles to take action to avoid collisions. Dickey overtook vehicles on the wrong side of the road and sped up a blind hill at 50mph.
Prosecutor Tom Roberts said the chase came to a stop when a police stinger was used to puncture the BMW's tires and the vehicle lost control, mounted a curb and drove onto a grass verge. Dickey and another man ran from the car but he was arrested a short time later. It was then discovered the defendant was also disqualified from driving and had no insurance.
Dickey, of Brynderwen Road, Newport, later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and driving with no insurance. The court heard he had numerous convictions for driving offences, including dangerous driving and failing to stop.
The defence barrister initially asked for the hearing to be adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared but Recorder Christopher Felstead said it was "almost impossible" for his client to be given a non-custodial sentence. Mr Bebb said Dickey agreed to drive an intoxicated friend to hospital after his friend's pregnant girlfriend was taken to hospital and "panicked" when he saw the police. The barrister: "He should have pulled over immediately."
Mr Bebb said the defendant had a "fractured upbringing" and fell into drug taking at 15 years old which led him committing crimes. He was formally addicted to aphetamines but has vowed to stay away from the drug after gaining employment and starting a relationship.
Sentencing, Recorder Felstead said: "The driving is frankly utterly appalling and some of the worst this court has seen... It's a miracle and only luck no one was killed or injured." Dickey was sentenced to a total of 16 months imprisonment. He was also disqualified from driving for 44 months.
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