A TEENAGER who led police on a high speed night-time road chase has been spared immediate custody.
Carlisle Crown Court heard how 19-year-old Calvin Lee Tweedy was banned from driving at the time of three-mile pursuit at around midnight on February 14, and had never held a licence.
On seeing police in Egremont, Tweedy drove on to a pavement containing pedestrians, around a patrol car and away. As another police vehicle with blue lights illuminated took up the chase, Tweedy hit twice the 30mph speed limit on narrow residential streets before the three-mile pursuit continued on rural roads.
It ended as the teen abandoned the Ford Mondeo in a field, leaving two female passengers – one distressed – at the scene, and fled. A police dog and handler located Tweedy, who was bitten by the animal during a struggle, failed a cocaine “drug swipe” test and was seen to “under the influence”.
He later admitted dangerous driving, no insurance, failing to provide a specimen for analysis and disqualified driving. After considering a specialist background report and concluding the teen was “a juvenile in all but age”, Judge Peter Davies suspended a 14-month custodial term for two years. Tweedy, of Howbank Road, Egremont, must also complete 180 hours’ unpaid work, a six-month night-time curfew and given a three-year driving ban.
“This was a dreadful piece of driving,” said Judge Davies, who told Tweedy he put police, pedestrians, himself and his two passengers at risk. “Somebody could have been killed.”
