Wolverhampton car cruisers drove at police in 'shocking' gathering on Black Country Route

Seven people admitted contempt of court by taking part in in the illegal event on the Black Country Route at Springvale Way, which left one witness 'shocked and shaking'.

They are: Louis Taylor, aged 20, Ben Taylor, 19, Jamie Burke, 23 and Jodie Price, 21, from Wolverhampton, and Lee Robinson, 23, Matthew Evans, 22, and Liam Gowran, 21, of Birmingham.

They were found to have breached the terms of a the injunction in a prosecution brought by the Wolverhampton council, with police saying a race would have taken place had they not intervened.

• Secured in February 2015 by the four Black Country councils and West Midlands Police.

• Car cruising is defined as 'the act of drivers meeting on the public highway on an organised or impromptu basis to race or show off in their cars'.

• Anyone breaching it by either taking part in a car cruise or by promoting, organising or publicising an event risks could face up to two years in prison and a fine for contempt of court.

• Cruisers also face prosecution for driving without due care and attention, driving without insurance ? no insurance policy covers illegal street racing ? or driving an unroadworthy vehicle.

The injunction, introduced in February last year, bans people from promoting or taking part in a car cruise, either as a driver, passenger or spectator.

The Taylors, Burke and Price were drivers and passengers of vehicles which were part of a convoy of five vehicles being "led" by an off-road motorbike on the evening of January 31 this year.

Police officers spotted the convoy travelling along the Black Country Route into Springvale Way.

One vehicle refused to stop and deliberately drove at them, forcing them to move sharply to avoid being hit, police said.

Last year, the Express & Star published video showing how boy racers were flouting a ban on car cruising in Great Bridge

Robinson, Evans and Gowran were the driver and passengers of one of between 25 and 30 vehicles which had parked in a layby near to the SMA Car Auctions site with the intention of participating in or watching a car cruise, the court heard.

One witness described two cars "driving at speed" along the Black Country Route. It left her "very shocked and shaking over this experience".

His Honour Judge McKenna said: "The allegations admitted are serious. They are not to be underestimated nor played down. The consequences could have been much more serious and very different had the police not been on the scene.

"Only custodial sentences meet that mischief albeit that the sentence will be suspended. High Court orders are not to be trifled with."

The seven were each given jail terms of between 14 and 28 days, suspended on the basis that they comply with the injunction. The judge said any fuirther breaches would mean they would be punished again, and sent to prison for the initial gathering.

They were ordered to pay a combined total of over £3,600 towards the council's costs.

The council's head of community safety, Karen Samuels, said: "The Black Country-wide injunction is in place to protect law abiding members of the public and businesses who have suffered for many years from the negative impact of car cruising.

"We are pleased that the High Court has once again sent out a strong message to deter those who are considering taking part on this activity ? namely that car cruising in the Black Country will simply not be tolerated.

"The injunction has had a very positive effect, with police and councils reporting a significant reduction in car cruising across the Black Country, and the problem being eliminated altogether in many areas.

"Four other individuals have been convicted of contempt of court in the last 12 months with further prosecutions pending, and the action brought by the City of Wolverhampton Council yesterday shows just how determined we, and our partners, are to eradicating the problem altogether."