A MAN caught speeding the wrong way down a one-way street, running a red light and driving on the wrong side of the road while trying to evade the police has been jailed.
Grimsby Crown Court heard that on June 7, Humberside Police had been asked to keep an eye out for a Ford Focus, following reports that such a car had collided with a wall and then driven off.
Prosecuting, Simon Waley said James Joss, 26, of Mansel Street, Grimsby, who was driving a Focus with a damaged bumper, was later spotted by officers in the Laceby Road area and they signaled him to stop.
However, despite the officers stopping their car in front of him, he swung out and sped away, reaching speeds of between 50 and 60mph in areas with a 30mph limit and driving "erratically".
He drove the wrong way down a one-way street and sped along Boulevard Avenue on the wrong side of the road, before mounting a kerb on Freshney Drive and coming to a halt. Joss then tried to run, but was apprehended by the police.
He later admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and without insurance.
The court heard he also had previous convictions for dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified.
Andrew Bailey, mitigating, said the only reason Joss was still disqualified was that he had not taken the extended driving test required to regain his licence.
He said the offence had "not been the worst of its kind", taking place in the early hours of a Thursday morning, with no collisions, injuries or "inconvenience to others" resulting from the incident.
Mr Bailey added Joss – who has two children and another due to be born in March – had also spent "the equivalent of a seven-month prison sentence" on remand and had a job lined up for him on his release.
However, Recorder Felicity Davies said she was minded to keep him in custody for "a little longer", adding what he had done was "absolutely stupid".
She said: "It appears likely that you had been driving the Ford Focus on the day before, on the evening of June 6, and been in collision with a wall, because it had been reported that such a vehicle had been and, consequently, the police were looking out for it."
Jailing him for 10 months, with an additional 18-month ban from driving, she said she was mindful he was soon to become a father for the third time and that he would be released in time to "help out" with the baby.
She added: "It seems to me, the sooner you can complete the disqualification period and pass the extended test, the better it will be for you and, more importantly, your family."
