The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A driver of a cloned car who led police along a dangerous chase near Sutton Bridge has been given a suspended jail sentence.
Josh Lake, 30, no fixed address, was spotted driving a silver X3 BMW which was on false plates shortly after midnight on Thursday July 2.
The car was noticed at 00.10 am on the A17, officers requested the vehicle stop, but the driver failed to stop and a pursuit was authorised.
Lincolnshire Police have released video footage of the chase as it enters Sutton Bridge Port. You watch the video on the link (opens in new window) – https://youtube.com/watch?v=oVTU4vgJKWo%3Fsi%3DA1OZp5ggUYZDrLXq
A spokesman for the force said: “It demonstrate the challenges faced and professionalism shown by our officers when responding to this type of incident.
“The video shows the BMW driven by Lake travelling at high speeds along West Bank, which runs alongside the River Nene which was at full tide.
“Lake could have lost control of the vehicle at any point while driving on the rough grassed track and entered the water.
“There were two other people in the car, a woman and a man, both in their 20s. He put them at significant risk.
“As the pursuit continued, he showed no regard for anyone else that may have been using the roads, coming in the other direction, or other road users such as pedal cyclists.”
Inspector Carrie Diamond, Armed Roads Policing, Lincolnshire Police, said: “Our officers are highly trained in pursuit driving, they constantly assess the risk to other road users and themselves. This driver didn’t have a full driving licence, he’s never passed a test and was disqualified already; he put his passengers at great risk and anyone else who may have been using the roads.
“We will always target drivers who should not be on the roads. Drivers who are not qualified, drivers who take risks with no thought to others or the injuries they may cause, and drivers who use our roads to commit crime, whether that’s by driving while disqualified, dangerously, or to break into someone’s house or premises; they will always be our focus.”
Lake pleaded guilty to offences of dangerous driving, disqualified driving, driving without insurance, fail to stop and possession of a controlled drug, an earlier hearing at Lincoln Magistrates Court. The offence of failing to stop was dealt with at the initial hearing, he was fined £50.
He appeared at Lincoln Crown Court for sentencing for other offences Tuesday, October 17 and was handed an eight-month sentence, suspended for two years, for the offence of dangerous driving. He was also banned from driving for 18 months and must take an extended re-test if he wishes to drive again, given a four-month sentence, suspended for two years, for the offence of disqualified driving and a two-month sentence, suspended for two years, for the offence of possession of a controlled drug.
