A man drove into oncoming traffic on one of Liverpool's busiest roads and rammed a police van during a 30 minute chase with officers.
Ryan Redmond travelled the wrong way down Edge Lane while at a "dark ebb" after splurging vast sums of money due to his gambling addiction. But the demolition man walked free from court over the shocking early hours pursuit, which also saw the police helicopter scrambled.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday that police received reports of a Vauxhall Vivaro being driven "erratically" in the Kensington area at around 4.45am on June 5 this year. Redmond, from Kirkdale, drove at a police carrier before an unmarked patrol car attempted to pull him over.
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But the 31-year-old "quickly accelerated away" and slammed on his brakes several times in a bid to force officers to come into contact with his van. The pursuit continued for around half an hour with "extended periods of dangerous driving" in rainy conditions which saw the dad-of-two run "numerous" red lights, travel at 80mph in a 30mph zone and enter a coned off roadworks area.
Redmond drove into oncoming traffic on Sheil Road, while the court was shown dashcam footage of him travelling in the wrong direction on the dual carriageway on Edge Lane. In all, he "travelled a considerable distance" with a route taking in Kensington, Old Swan, Huyton, Kirkdale, Walton, Bootle and the city centre.
The chase finally came to an end when the 31-year-old, of Stuart Grove, pulled into the Royal Liverpool Hospital and stopped. Upon his arrest, police noted a "strong smell" of cannabis and alcohol while Redmond's speech was slurred.
But he refused a roadside breath test, saying: "I'm not doing any of that, no way."
Redmond then refused to give a sample again in custody, but under interview made "full and frank admissions". He told officers that he "wanted the police to go after him" so he could get support for mental health problems as he "hadn't received any" from his GP.
Peter White, defending, stated this his client "no longer stands by this assertion" though. He added Redmond was at a "low point" after "frittering away" his wages and had stopped taking his medication, but boasts a "quite impressive record of employment".
He currently has a "very well paid job" doing demolition work at Sellafield nuclear power station in Cumbria. Mr White said: "Mr Redmond no longer stands by the assertion he give in his police interview that he was feeling suicidal and planned to jump from a bridge on Scotland Road.
"It's by sheer good fortune that there aren't more serious charges, injuries or even death. This gentleman was at a particularly dark ebb in his life.
"It's a very stark choice that comes before the court today. Ultimately, we have a man aged 31 with limited previous convictions, two young children and good employment.
"He quite simply never wants to be in this situation again."
Redmond - who has one previous conviction for five offences of criminal damage, using violence to secure entry to a premises and assault in 2015 - admitted dangerous driving and two counts of failing to provide a specimen. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was handed a 14-month imprisonment suspended for two years.
Sentencing, Recorder Philip Barnes said: "It's a mercy that it was around about 5am and thankfully the number of people using this city's roads was few. One shudders to think, had you caused an accident in those circumstances, what might have happened to you or an entirely innocent member of the public going about their business on that morning.
"You went on to give a bizarre explanation, from which you seek to resile. I have not heard a sensible explanation for why you did what you did.
"The obvious inference is that you were intoxicated through drink and drugs. There's no doubt in my mind that the custody threshold has been crossed.
"On the other hand you are in your thirties, you have a history of good, gainful work and you have a young family. The only question is whether that sentence can be suspended.
"On balance, I'm satisfied that immediate custody is not the only way punishment could be imposed in this case."
Redmond was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and handed a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 15 days. He was banned from driving three years, and must pass an extended retest before he is allowed back on the roads.
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