Driver who crashed van into ditch while trying to escape police jailed

A driver ended up in a ditch after crashing into a telegraph post while trying to escape the police. Craig Mcintosh, 32 and of Leasowe Garth, Leeds, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday, June 18.

During the failed escape attempt, Mcintosh drove head-on towards other vehicles and also turned his lights off in a bid to evade officers. He came to the attention of police officers after his van was identified as having cloned plates.

Response officer tracked him and got behind the vehicle on the A1 at Balderton shortly afterwards, at around 3.50am on August 8, 2023. A pursuit then took place over the next few minutes, in which Mcintosh demonstrated a continued display of dangerous driving.

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Mcintosh continued towards the A46 near Newark before making a number of illegal overtakes, despite officers turning on their blue lights. He was also seen travelling on the wrong side of the road towards oncoming traffic and switching off the van’s lights, despite it being dark due to the time of day.

At various points, Mcintosh drove at speeds of 80mph in a 50mph zone, while also clocking 60mph in a residential area with a 30mph limit. While making his way through Kelham, the driver turned down Broadgate Lane, before misjudging a corner a few seconds later.

The van then veered off the road, crashed into a telegraph post, and went into a ditch, where it finally came to a stop. Mcintosh was at that point pulled from the vehicle and arrested at the roadside.

He was charged with dangerous driving and driving while disqualified, to which he pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday, June 18. He was sentenced to 14 months in prison.

Mcintosh was also banned from driving for 19 months, at which point he will then have to pass a re-test. PC Michael Drury, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "There was absolutely no excuse whatsoever for Mcintosh to drive the way he did in the early hours of that morning.

"Despite our officers following him with their blue lights on, he continued to put his foot down in an attempt to try and evade them. Mcintosh could’ve pulled over at any time, but instead chose to drive away at speed, while completing a series of dangerous manoeuvres.

"He also compounded this by turning his lights off, despite it being so dark at the time, before eventually losing control and crashing into a telegraph post. Thankfully for everyone involved, nobody was injured in this incident, although that is in no way down to Mcintosh’s driving skills.

"We’re pleased to see he’s now been sentenced for his actions, and hope he uses his time in prison and off the roads to think about his conduct going forward."