Driver jailed following high speed pursuit

A banned driver who led police on a chase in Swindon and crashed into an oncoming vehicle has been jailed for 19-and-a-half months.

Robert Kill, 29, of Inglesham Road, Penhill, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified.

He was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court today - July 30 - and in addition to being jailed has been disqualified from driving for three years and nine months.

A police spokesperson said that on the afternoon of May 19, officers attempted to stop a red Ford Focus on Cricklade Road.

Despite momentarily stopping, it sped off when officers got out of their vehicle and reached speeds of more than 60mph.

As the vehicle approached Thamesdown Drive it passed through a red light and collided with an oncoming vehicle.

The Focus then went down Thamesdown Drive on the wrong side of the road at excessive speed for about 2km.

At this point, the spokesperson said, officers decided to call off the pursuit due to concerns for the safety of other road users, but then found the car abandoned at the end of Poachers Way, Blunsdon St Andrew, at the top of a footpath.

The driver had fled the scene on foot and hid in the hedgerow on Lady Lane, by the car park of the Blunsdon Arms.

Thanks to CCTV footage and support from members of the public who provided witness statements and supplied dashcam footage, officers were able to identify Kill as the driver and he was arrested at his home address on May 29.

Kill was already subject to a suspended prison sentence at the time of the offence.

PC Sam Young from Swindon Community Policing Team said: “We are fortunate that nobody was seriously injured by the actions of Kill as he put the lives of innocent members of the public at serious risk.

“Despite being disqualified from driving and holding no insurance, he drove with complete disregard for his fellow road users at what was a busy time of the day.

“He drove at high speeds, for long periods on the wrong side of the road and even hit another vehicle when driving through a red light in order to evade being caught.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the public in their efforts to help bring Kill to justice. If it wasn’t for their support, he would still be driving on the roads now.

“This behaviour is unacceptable and as a police force, we will go above and beyond to secure a conviction for people who pose that much of a risk to the public.”