Derbyshire dad-of-two led police on 100mph chase down winding country lanes

A Derbyshire dad-of-two led police on a 100mph chase down winding roads in freezing conditions. Derby Crown Court heard how Damien Bown was also over the drug-drive limit and was unlicensed and uninsured to drive the VW Golf he sped off from the unmarked cop car in.

The 30-year-old defendant then crushed the car and hid in a garden where he was caught by a police dog trying to escape over a wall. A later search of him found he had cannabis but in the time it has taken to come to court, he has stopped taking drugs and found accommodation living with his sister.

Handing him a nine-month jail term, suspended for a year, Recorder Anna Marie Trussler said: “Part of the driving was in excess of 100mph in freezing conditions which caused a significant risk of danger to other road users and to you. It is fortunate you are here today given that level of driving. You drive at 80mph through a village and it is again lucky there were no pedestrians or other road users.”

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Sarah Phelan, prosecuting, said the unmarked police car spotted the grey Volkswagen in a McDonald’s car park in Barlborough at around 10.30m on March 4, 2023. She said the officer checked and found out that the car was registered to someone in Glasgow and so decided to pull it over.

The prosecutor said: “It left the car park and set off and the officer illuminated the blue lights to pull it over. However, it accelerated away, and the defendant drove away at speed, reaching more than 100mph down winding lanes in freezing conditions.

“He drove at 80mph in a 30mph limit through a visit, and at one point, a double-decker bus had to take evasive action to avoid a collision. The police then found the car which had damage to its driver’s side and the defendant was found in a nearby garden.

“A police dog grabbed his jacket as he tried to scale a garden wall in a bid to escape. A small amount of cannabis was recovered on him and then more cannabis at the police station.”

Bown, of Wren Park Close, Grangewood, Chesterfield, pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial to dangerous driving and drug driving. He had previously admitted driving without insurance, driving without a licence and possession of cannabis. He has previous convictions for dangerous driving, drink-driving and possession with intent to supply drugs.

Chris Brewin, mitigating, said: “At the time of the offence he had been in a relationship for eight or nine years and that had ended. He also had drug issues, he was using cannabis and he had no accommodation.

“He has two children aged three and two who he sees on Mondays and Tuesdays, he now has secure accommodation living with his sister and most importantly, he has been clean from drugs for around a year. He is currently on benefits but he should be able to work, he is a qualified brickie, to use that term, and has done scaffolding in the past.”

As part of the suspended sentence order, the judge ordered Bown to attend 20 rehabilitation sessions and to complete 150 hours unpaid work. He also disqualified him from driving for three years.