10-Month Jail Sentence And Four-Year Driving Ban For Man Who Led Police On Wild Chase

A man has been jailed for 10 months and banned from driving for four years after he led police on a wild chase in Wiltshire.

Darren Reed, 52, of Kingshill Road, Swindon, was sentenced at the Swindon Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, possession of an offensive weapon and a class A drug, driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and without insurance.

Dashcam footage obtained by Newsflash from the Wiltshire Police shows Reed attempting to ditch the officers as he incited a dangerous police chase during morning rush hour across the town of Royal Wootton Bassett.

Wiltshire Police released footage of the incident on 13th February, a few days after Reed was given his prison sentence for the incident, which occurred on 9th November, 2021.

It all began at approximately 8.40am when an officer on duty spotted a BMW being driven on false number plates.

The officer attempted to pull over the driver on the A3102, but the vehicle made off at speed, ignoring multiple road signs and driving the wrong way around a roundabout.

Reed continued driving recklessly around town, forcing other motorists to evade his vehicle to avoid a car crash.

He was eventually lost to sight and the BMW was found dumped in Southbank Glen with a different number plate on.

A police dog handler attended the scene and the dog located the sunglasses Reed had been wearing and the ignition key near to the vehicle.

He was later arrested in Longleaze and taken into custody.

Inspector Will Ayres said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "Dash cam footage shows just how little regard Reed had for other road users.

"The incident happened during morning rush hour – as you can see the roads were busy with people making their way to work or taking children to school or nursery.

"However, this didn’t stop Reed from driving in an incredibly dangerous manner around the town before abandoning the vehicle and attempting to make off and evade police.

"Thankfully, he has now been given a lengthy disqualification from the roads, and a prison sentence.

"Hopefully this time is spent reflecting on his actions and just how incredibly lucky it was that nobody was injured, or worse killed, as a result of his mindless driving that day."