Man jailed for driving at police car during high speed Harrogate chase

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Gary Bowes, 31, sped through Knaresborough and Harrogate at more than double the speed limit, York Crown Court heard.

He ignored road signs, shot over junctions and sped over speed bumps in residential areas including Stonefall Avenue in Harrogate, said prosecutor James Howard.

Bowes twice drove his car at the pursuing police vehicle during the chase, which covered “some considerable miles”.

At some stages, Bowes was driving at speeds of up to 50mph in 20mph zones. When police finally caught up with him, he ran off but was soon caught.

He was arrested and charged with dangerous driving. He admitted the offence, which occurred in the early hours of May 5, 2019, and appeared for sentence on Friday.

The court heard that Bowes, of Ripon Road, Killinghall, was subject to a community order for previous offences at the time of the incident.

Defence barrister Ben Campbell said luckily there were few motorists and pedestrians around at the time of the relatively short chase. There had been no injury caused to anyone or any vehicles, including the police car.

Mr Campbell said Bowes had battled drug and alcohol problems and that his criminal record was “not to his credit”.

However, judge Simon Hickey said despite the “powerful mitigation” and the delay in the case reaching court, it could only be an immediate prison sentence for such a serious case of dangerous driving.

He told Bowes: “You completely ignored many road signs, road junctions and speed bumps, (travelling at) 40mph to 50mph in 20mph zones.”

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Bowes was jailed for 10 months and slapped with a two-year driving ban.