Driver jailed after leading police on chase across rugby pitch before ploughing into river

A driver who led police on a dangerous high-speed chase across a rugby pitch before ploughing his car into a river has been jailed.

Daniel Galloway, 39, was spotted "skidding all over the place" as he tried to evade police across muddy fields before he hit a raised bank and landed in the River Trent.

Nottingham Crown Court heard how he managed to get out of the car while it began sinking in the water before being arrested by police after he swam to the riverbank.

Officers had been called to the Holme Pierrepont National Water Sports Centre, in Nottingham, on 23 August following reports a Mercedes car had been broken into.

As police entered the outdoor watersports facility complex they saw a Vauxhall Corsa suspected to have been involved in the crime coming towards them.

When one of the officers approached the vehicle, Galloway drove off the road on to a grassed bank and into a lightly wooded area.

He then smashed through a wire fence and over a fence post before speeding onto a rugby field and towards the River Trent.

Galloway, of Stomeygate, Leicester, ended up in the river about 15 metres from the bank and was later taken to hospital as a precaution.

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The car continued to float down the river for around 100 yards before it was recovered by fire crews and handed over to police colleagues.

Galloway went on to plead guilty to charges of dangerous driving, driving without insurance, driving while disqualified and theft from a motor vehicle.

He was jailed for a total of two years at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday.

Galloway received a 15-month sentence for dangerous driving, was banned from driving for three years and must take an extended re-test.

He was given a nine-month sentence, to be served consecutively, for theft from a motor vehicle and a 12-week concurrent sentence for driving while disqualified.

Police Constable Matthew Hempsall, of Nottinghamshire Police, said afterwards: "Galloway put the lives of members of the public at risk by driving in the way he did as he attempted to evade arrest.

“Not only were there pedestrians on the towpath which he drove over at speed but there were children within the same area of water where his vehicle landed.

“I’m glad we have managed to take him off the road and hope this sends a strong message that we will take positive action against dangerous drivers.”

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