Boasting 90mph driver locked up
A disqualified driver who led police on a 90mph chase along residential streets boasted to officers they "wouldn't have seen him for dust" if he'd been sober has been jailed for 18 months.
A disqualified driver who led police on a 90mph chase along residential streets boasted to officers they "wouldn't have seen him for dust" if he'd been sober has been jailed for 18 months.
David Potts, who was carrying three passengers in his car while being chased by officers, raced through red traffic lights without slowing at several road junctions, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard. He was jailed 18 months yesterday.
He was caught when his car span out of control in Ettingshall and rolled over, coming to a standstill after hitting bollards.
The 28-year-old, who has a history of dangerous driving, attempted to make off from the scene but was arrested. He smelled of alcohol but failed to complete a breathalyser test either at the scene or at the police station, citing asthma problems, the court was told.
Potts, of no fixed address, was spotted by officers on routine patrol in Bilston in the early hours of March 22. They followed his Volkswagen saloon with their blue lights on, as he travelled at 50mph in a 30mph area.
Along Ettingshall Road he reached a speed of 75mph while further on, in Spring Road, police recorded speeds of up to 90mph.
The car careered off the road soon after going through red lights at the junction of Manor Road and Millfields Road, as it went over the crest of a bridge and into a skid.
Potts told police: "If I'd been sober, you wouldn't have seen me for dust."
All four occupants of the car escaped without injury.
At the police station, he told officers he had panicked when he saw the blue flashing lights. He said he had had four pints to drink and claimed he had not been aware he was still disqualified from a previous conviction.
Potts, who was also found to be in possession of three bags of cannabis, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving while disqualified, having no licence, possession of a Class B drug and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.
Nicolas Smith, defending, said: "This man lacks education and thinking skills. He has an appalling driving record and the events of March 22 show exactly that.
"He was an idiot that night and behaved in a foolhardy and dangerous manner."
Jailing Potts, Judge John Warner told him: "Your record shows a complete disregard for the law."
He also disqualified him from the roads for a further three years.
Mary Williams, chief executive of road safety group Brake, today condemned Potts's crime. She said: "This is an unfairly low sentence for a collection of despicable crimes that could have so easily caused devastation and loss of life.
"It is significantly below the sentence that the public as a whole expects for this sort of appallingly dangerous behaviour. It is no different to wielding a gun or knife."
