The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A banned motorist who evaded police by driving round and round the outside of Spalding’s McDonald’s drive-thru restaurant has been given a suspended sentence.
Christopher Dye (57) also deliberately crashed through a fence on to the forecourt of the neighbouring filling station in Holbeach Road.
He drove round that several times at speed before fleeing the scene, Boston Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday.
And when police finally caught up with him some time later, he refused to take a breath test.
Dye, of Breda Court, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, driving without due care and attention, failing to stop after an accident, failing to stop for a police officer, failing to provide a specimen and having no insurance.
Prosecutor Shelley Wilson told the court that a police officer recognised Dye at the wheel of a silver Ford Mondeo in the McDonald’s car park at 7.30pm on November 30 last year.
She added: “The officer approached to speak to him. The defendant drove off at speed.
“He drove several times around McDonald’s car park at speed. The police car was moved to block the entrance.
“After going around several times at speed, almost colliding with other vehicles, the defendant deliberately drove through a fence which divides the premises from a petrol station next door.
“The defendant was seen to drive round the petrol station building at speed several times before leaving the forecourt and going out of the site.
“It was about an hour and a half later, with police having been looking for Mr Dye, that he was seen on foot walking away from the parked silver Ford Mondeo.”
Dye told police he wouldn’t take a breath test as he was “simply walking, not driving.”
It was his second conviction for driving while disqualified, a ban imposed in 2012 but Dye had never taken the extended retest to regain his licence.
Beris Brickles, mitigating, said of the latest offences that it was “a moment of madness” after a relationship break-up.
Dye was given 16 weeks’ custody, suspended for 18 months, and 15 days of rehabilitation activity requirements.
He was also banned for 18 months and ordered to pay £239 in costs and victim surcharge.
