Man sentenced for dangerous drug driving after late-night police pursuit through Harrogate district
A 24-year-old man has been sentenced after leading police on a dangerous late-night pursuit through the Harrogate district and towards Leeds.
Cameron Bradley, of Loch Trool Way in Bathgate, appeared at York Crown Court on Thursday (October 9), where he was handed a ten month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
He was also banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work.
Bradley pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, failing to stop for police, driving with no insurance, and drug driving.
The court heard that shortly before 11pm on Tuesday, March 4, officers attempted to stop a blue Ford Focus being driven by Bradley on Leeds Road in Harrogate.
Rather than pulling over, he sped away from officers, prompting the Force Control Room to authorise a pursuit.
A roads policing unit followed the Focus safely along the A61 towards Leeds, despite numerous instances of dangerous driving manoeuvres.
The pursuit lasted around eight minutes before Bradley lost control and struck a kerb outside Leeds Grammar School.
He then ran from the scene, but police air support (NPAS) was already overhead and guided officers to his location, leading to his arrest.
Following his arrest, Bradley was subjected to a roadside drugs wipe.
He was taken to hospital where a blood specimen analysis was completed which showed he was over the specified limit for cocaine.
The police also discovered that Bradley had a provisional only licence, no insurance, and that the vehicle had no MOT.
Traffic Constable Gary Dukes, of North Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Group, said: “Bradley's shocking manner of driving was extremely dangerous, putting members of the public and himself at great risk of serious injury or worse.
“North Yorkshire Police will not tolerate such appalling, life-threatening driving and it is right that he has been taken off the roads.
“Road safety is a key priority for the force and we'll continue to be relentless in our approach against anyone who puts the safety of members of the public at risk.
“Anyone who thinks they can evade arrest by driving dangerously needs to think again.
"We will use all our powers to remove you from the roads including the deployment of our highly-skilled pursuit-trained officers."