An Eden Valley driver who tried to flee police during a late night 142mph chase has been spared prison by a judge who said it was remarkable nobody was injured or killed.
Lee Robert Maughan, 25, told officers after a high speed pursuit ended when he crashed in the village of Temple Sowerby that he’d had a few pints before getting behind the wheel.
A PC first saw Maughan travelling erratically on the Kemplay Bank roundabout just outside Penrith at 2am on September 19 last year.
The officer hit 120mph on a stretch of dual carriageway close to Brougham Castle as Maughan sped off in his red Mercedes. He then accelerated to 138mph near Center Parcs and, on a later dual carriageway section, the speed increased to 142mph.
Carlisle Crown Court heard how the officer continued to give chase as Maughan left the A66 with a speed of over 100mph clocked after he entered 30mph Temple Sowerby.
Prosecutor Brendan Burke said of Maughan: “He reached the edge of the village where he lost control and crashed, causing damage to the road surface, street furniture and some private property. He remained in the car. He simply replied on arrest that he had been scared.”
Maughan provided a positive alcohol breath test in the aftermath, but was never charged with driving above the prescribed limit. Instead he admitted dangerous driving only and was sentenced at the crown court today.
Anthony Parkinson, defending, told the court Maughan was a hard-working man of previous good character who had admitted his guilt at the earliest opportunity. He held paid employment and also worked on his family’s farm.
The impact of an interim driving ban imposed by magistrates last month had already been significant, said the barrister.
Judge Nicholas Barker decided, narrowly he said, to suspend a 12-month jail term for two years. Maughan, of Great Asby, near Appleby, must complete 180 hours’ unpaid work, a three-month electronically monitored night time curfew and pay a £2,500 fine.
“This is an appalling example of dangerous driving. The speeds that you travelled at, on the roads that you travelled, were truly terrible and dangerous,” said Judge Barker.
“What is clear is that on that journey, at two o’clock in the morning, you had not the least concern for the safety of other road users. Your only concern was for you to try and avoid getting into trouble. That was selfish, self-centred and very dangerous.”
The judge added: “That no-one was injured or killed — yourself or others — is remarkable.”
Maughan was banned from driving for 21 months and must take an extended retest before his licence is returned.
