Drink driver, 22, locked up for 24-minute police chase

Christopher Lawrence Newton, 22, of South Street, Scarborough, appeared at York Crown Court on Friday where he was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment after earlier pleading guilty to dangerous driving, drink driving, driving without a licence, driving without insurance and aggravated vehicle taking.

He has also been handed an 18 month driving ban and ordered to undertake an extended driving test on completion of the ban.

Newton was driving a silver Toyota Auris on Skipton Road, Harrogate, at around 4.40am on Friday March 2, when he initially failed to stop for Roads Policing Group officers.

He had taken the car from outside a pub in Farnham.

A police pursuit lasting 24 minutes ensued.

It ended when the Toyota came to a halt due to a mechanical fault on Prospect Road in Starbeck.

The pursuit itself took place around Harrogate, Killinghall, Ripley, Knaresborough and Starbeck.

Following his arrest, a test confirmed Newton had 164 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood – the legal limit is 80 milligrammes of alcohol.

He was charged in relation to this incident and he was also recalled to prison after breaking his release licence for a previous offence.

Traffic Constable David Minto, of North Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Group, said: “At the time of this incident, Newton had been driving a stolen car whilst over the prescribed limit for alcohol and with absolutely no regard for the safety of other road-users.

“He continually drove at high speed, disobeyed red traffic light signals, and carried out dangerous overtaking manoeuvres which put other motorists and pedestrians at great risk.

“I am satisfied with the outcome at court.

“Newton now has further time to consider his irresponsible and shocking behaviour from behind bars, which is clearly the best place for him at this moment in time.”