Dangerous driver almost hit police officer in Scarborough

Kamil Jurkiewicz’s crashed into a wall and then sped off in an attempted getaway through the streets of Scarborough, during which he drove the car at a police officer who had to jump out of the way.

Prosecutor Michael Bosomworth told York Crown Court that police were at the scene of another traffic incident in Queens Terrace when they heard a loud crashing sound coming from an alleyway nearby.

Jurkiewicz, 26, had ploughed into a wall in a Renault Clio, but before police could respond he turned the ignition back on, revved up and drove off “at some speed”.

“An officer had to jump out of the way,” added Mr Bosomworth. “He turned into Queens Terrace and drove off in excess of the speed limit.”

Police gave chase as Jurkiewicz sped round a sharp bend and ended up on the pavement.

“He managed to stop before he hit anything,” said Mr Bosomworth. “Police drove up alongside, blocking him. He made motions through the car window (that) he was surrendering, although he was shouting and cheering.”

Jurkiewicz, who appeared heavily intoxicated, refused to take a breathalyser test, added the barrister.

He was arrested and charged with dangerous driving, failing to provide a specimen for analysis and having no licence or insurance.

He was initially bailed then remanded in Hull Prison until his appearance at the Crown Court on Monday when he admitted all four offences, which occurred just after midnight on April 7.

His pleas were entered on the basis that he didn’t deliberately drive at the police officer.

Mr Bosomworth said that Jurkiewicz, a Polish national living in Scarborough, was under a community order at the time for a previous offence of criminal damage. He breached that order on “numerous” occasions, resulting in an eight-week prison sentence later in April.

Graham Parkin, for the defendant, said magistrates had jailed Jurkiewicz for a third breach of the court order after failing to do any unpaid work, which was part of the community punishment.

Following sentence for those offences, he was told he would be deported because he wasn’t a “fit and proper person” to stay in the UK.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said Jurkiewicz, who appeared in court via video link, was “plainly drunk” when he crashed into the wall.

The judge repeatedly had to ask Jurkiewicz to stop shaking his head in the video booth as he summarised the case.

“I’m sentencing you on the basis that (driving at the police officer) wasn’t deliberate, probably because you were so drunk,” he added.

Mr Stubbs QC said Jurkiewicz “knew exactly” what he was doing when he refused the breath test, adding: “This dangerous driving is so serious that only a custodial sentence would be appropriate.”

Jurkiewicz was given a four-month jail sentence and a two-year driving ban.