Man spared prison for high-speed police chase in stolen car

Nottingham Crown Court
-Credit: (Image: Nottinghamshire Live)


A disqualified and uninsured young Nottinghamshire driver stole a relative’s car from the driveway and led police on a high-speed chase. Nottingham Crown Court heard how Robert Robinson crashed the Vauxhall Astra into an embankment after reaching 80mph in a 40mph limit.

But the 22-year-old still carried on driving despite the car “screeching and sparking” until he stopped and tried to flee on foot. And despite his sentencing hearing being told how this is the second time he has carried out such a similar offence, he has been spared immediate custody having found religion and getting a job working in a Subway takeaway.

Handing the defendant a 12-month jail term, suspended for a year, Recorder Penelope Stanistreet-Keen said: “You took the vehicle without permission and the impact on your family has been enormous with them having to pick up the pieces. This is the second time you have drunk to excess and driven a car causing significant problems for other people.

“The stolen car was seen swerving on the road that night and was being driven in such a poor manner that a member of the public called the police. You reached 80mph in a 40mph zone and crashed into an embankment by a roundabout.

“Even though the car was squealing and sparks were coming from it, you carried on driving for a distance of about three miles and you were disqualified. The impact on other road users was potentially serious injury.

“You have got a glowing reference, you are working in a Subway and you are described as hard-working, reliable and trustworthy. You have engaged with religion which is to be commended but it is not a silver bullet, you have to put the hard work in yourself.

“This is your last chance, stay away from this sort of stupid behaviour.”

Theresa Simm, prosecuting, said the offence took place during the early hours of September 9, 2023. She said the Blue Vauxhall was taken from the defendant’s relative’s driveway by Robinson who then led the police on the chase around the Mansfield area including in Oak Tree Lane, Violet Hill and Newlands Road.

The prosecutor said: “He was swerving hardly from left to right and despite crashing at the embankment near the roundabout carried on driving. There were sparks flying from the vehicle which was screeching.

“He then stopped and ran from the vehicle and was arrested at his home address at around 5am. Police searched his bedroom and found a knuckle duster in a bedside table.”

Robinson, of Seventh Avenue, Forest Town, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, aggravated vehicle taking and possession of an offensive weapon.

Thomas Welshman, mitigating, successfully argued for a “final last chance” for his client to avoid an immediate prison term. He said: “In his own words he was ‘an idiot and a petulant child’ who only has himself to blame.

“He is religious and attends church praying for others and is supported in court by his mother and father. He works 25 hours a week in a Subway on minimum wage.”

As part of the suspended sentence order, the judge ordered the defendant to attend rehabilitation sessions with the probation service and to carry out 100 hours unpaid work. She disqualified him from driving for a further 18 months.