Chippenham car chase leads to a road ban (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Chippenham car chase leads to a road ban

8:00pm Saturday 22nd September 2012 in News

A driver who led police on a high-speed chase has been banned from the road for six months.

Stephen Burke sped away from officers in Chippenham shortly before 3am on Saturday, January 28.

Burke, 42, of Cottles Bar-ton, Staverton, drove along the A350 in a Volkswagen Golf as officers followed.

Susan Cavender, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court the car went west on the M4 at more than 100mph.

After leaving at junction 18, Burke went through a red light as he headed south. At the Toghill roundabout he turned right, then left on to Freezinghill Lane, where the car was seen drifting in the road and clipping the kerb.

Miss Cavender said officers ended the chase as the car was heading towards the MOD site in Lansdown, and were concerned pedestrians may be in the area.

Burke pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving but admitted careless driving. The court heard he had six points on his licence for mobile phone offences.

Martin Lanchester, defending, said Burke failed to pull over because of previous incidents when he was stopped by police and on one occasion detained for no reason.

Judge Euan Ambrose said: “If you drove at speeds of 100mph or more on the motorway, a simple speeding conviction would bring with it six points. That was the beginning of the offending here, not the extent of it.”

He imposed nine points, meaning Burke was banned for six months under totting up. The judge ordered him to pay £250 in fines and costs.