Motorcyclist crashed into woman at Bargate junction and then fled police custody

Police at the scene of the incident on Bargate in Grimsby
-Credit: (Image: Grimsby Live)


A woman described the horror of a motorcyclist crashing into her car after riding at speed the wrong way on a one-way street into a busy Bargate junction.

Mark Phillips' crash helmet came off on the impact. He became aggressive towards ambulance staff who attended and fought with a police officer. At hospital he escaped police custody on foot and caused damage to another car.

At Grimsby Crown Court he admitted dangerous driving and escaping from police custody. Phillips, 23, of Kingsway, Cleethorpes also admitted possession of Class A drugs and causing criminal damage. The defendant sobbed throughout the sentencing hearing before Recorder Simon Eckersley.

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Prosecuting, Eleanor Mitten told how the woman driver was approaching the junction of Bargate and Dudley Street, in Grimsby when the rider collided with the right hand side of her car. "The rider came off and flew over her car. His crash helmet came off and he was treated at the scene by ambulance staff. But he was aggressive towards them and tried to leave the scene, but was apprehended by a police officer," told the prosecutor.

She said he tested negative for alcohol but positive for cocaine and cannabis at a roadside test. But the prosecution service was unable to proceed with a prosecution. Phillips was taken to Diana, Princes of Wales Hospital for treatment, along with the car driver. She described in a victim impact statement how she suffers from anxiety as a result of the shock of the crash and is being treated with medication for panic attacks in the wake of the crash at 3.20pm on December 15, last year.

Phillips continued to be aggressive. When handcuffs were removed, the defendant fled along the hospital corridor and out of the building, said Miss Mitten. Police ran in pursuit and he leapt over garden fences and gates. At one property he jumped over a car, using it "like a trampoline" before scaling a fence.

Police were able to apprehend him after nine minutes at large. He was found with three wraps of cocaine and heroin. The prosecutor told how Phillips was also tracked by police after his DNA was found on a motorcycle in a shed which he had broken in to a previous offence committed in October last year.

He tried to hot wire a CBR 900 Fireblade from a garage at the rear of Wintringham Road. Two motorcycles were later written off due to the damage caused. The value of the motorcycles was put at £2,500. The owner said the incident had caused a lot of heartache. In interview Phillips told police he had been coerced by others to break into the garage, under duress and a threat to a relative.

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For Phillips, Craig Lowe said his client had already served the equivalent of 10 months custody having been on remand and subject to an electronically-monitored curfew.

He said the dangerous driving offence had not involved a police chase and there had been no injury to others. He said the escape offence was "impulsive." "He did not use violence to get away," said Mr Lowe. He added his client had mental health difficulties.

Sentencing Phillips, Recorder Simon Eckersley told the defendant: "People were trying to help you in hospital. When the handcuffs were removed you ran off out of the building. You went over fences, climbing on motor vehicles in a determined attempt to escape lawful custody. Any escape is serious criminality. It was only due to the efforts of the police that you were not at large for longer."

Imposing a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, Recorder Eckersley said: "You need to be extremely grateful to your counsel (Craig Lowe) because having read the papers there was no good reason to suspend the sentence. But I have listened to Mr Lowe and this can be suspended, just. You have realised how lucky you are."

He banned him from driving for 12 months and told him to do 30 rehabilitation requirement days. He will also have an electronically-monitored curfew for three months.