Man who led police on dangerous pursuit through Worcester narrowly escapes jail

Michael Griffiths panicked when he realised he had been spotted by police, Worcester Crown Court was told.

The 18-year-old was sentenced on Friday, (June 19), having pleaded guilty to three counts; dangerous driving, having no insurance and no valid driving licence at an early hearing.

The defendant, who wore a black top and jeans, spoke only to confirm his name when he appeared for the sentencing hearing.

The court heard Griffiths only had a provisional license when he was driving in the family's Ford Focus at 10.15pm on August 1 last year.

James Dunstan, prosecuting, said he drove past police parked in Drakes Avenue, Worcester, but they immediately became suspicious so he put on blue lights and sirens to signal to him to pull over.

"He didn't stop - he drove off at 50mph (in a 30mph stretch) towards Bromyard Road," Mr Dunstan said.

With the pursuit underway Griffiths, who had a passenger of a similar age in the car, ran red lights near Worcester Bridge and at Comer Road, the court heard.

"He went through three further red lights, on one occasion on the other side of the road," Mr Dunstan said.

"He pushed his way through traffic. He went up Bridge Street the wrong way."

Mr Dunstan explained that in Bridge Street, with pedestrians on paths on both side of the road, there was "little place for him to go" if cars had been driving along the road. Due to this officers decided to call off the pursuit as it was deemed "too risky".

Mr Dunstan said Griffiths, of Falmouth Road, Worcester, then passed a police car in Friar Street at just 10mph.

"The office who saw him said, in a police statement, that he covered his eyes (while covering his face) which they described as 'a moronic thing to do'," Mr Dunstan said.

Police were then alerted by members of the public that Griffiths had abandoned the car at the NCP car park in Friar Street, and on foot he was tracked down and finally arrested.

Balvinder Bhatti, defending, said having no licence had been the reason he fled when he saw the police.

Miss Bhatti explained Griffiths was 17 at the time of the offence, was sorry for what had happened, and said he had thought he was insured as the car was insured by other family members.

She added Griffiths had no previous convictions, but accepted he did have a youth caution for the theft of bikes.

READ MORE: Latest Covid-19 figures reveal nearly 500 county residents died in all settings

READ MORE: 'I'd hate for it to have to close' - concern at poor state of Sabrina Bridge

Judge James Burbidge QC asked Griffiths to stand and said: "You are now 18, you have reached adulthood.

"You have the maturity of an adult - I suspect that is very doubtful.

"This was a serious offence.

"You pushed through traffic, drove through red lights, went the wrong way.

"Mercifully there were no injuries. Mercifully, there were no injuries to yourself - your parents could have been at a coroner's court today.

"I could have sent you down for four months. But it seems to me that would be unjustified."

Griffiths was given a five month curfew, and ordered to pay costs of £390.

He was banned from driving for 12 months, and told he would have to pass an extended test to be permitted to drive again.

At the end of the case the judge said he was disappointed not to have the power to order the car to be taken off the road, adding "people who drive cars like that, even family ones, deserve to have them taken off the road for the benefit of the rest of us".