Swindon drug dealer led car chase and threatened innocents

A drug dealer who led officers on a pursuit through Swindon last summer has been jailed for more than three years.

Billy Livingstone, 22, of Stratton Road, Swindon, pleaded guilty to aggravated taking of a vehicle without consent, driving while disqualified, affray, possession with intent to supply heroin, possession of cocaine, possession of criminal property - £4175 - and possession of cannabis.

He was sentenced on Thursday, 6 January at Swindon Crown Court to three years and nine months in prison, further disqualified from driving for three years and 11 months, and made subject to a forfeiture order for the money.

On 23 June last year Livingstone, a disqualified driver, was seen driving a hire vehicle, a black Mercedes A200, by officers on Oxford Road.

They tried to stop the vehicle on Corporation Street but Livingstone mounted the pavement to avoid the stop and made off at speed. He continued to drive dangerously, at one point going the wrong way down a one-way street to avoid officers and also stopping to threaten innocent members of the public.

The car was found abandoned on Northampton Street and Livingstone was found a short distance away at The Merlin Pub on Drove Road, where he was arrested.

He was seen to have been in possession of an envelope containing £4,175, which was found behind seating in the pub before a search of his home address revealed just over 100 grams of heroin and a small quantity of cocaine and cannabis. 

Det Insp Angela Shipp, of the Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: “Billy Livingstone is an individual who has caused significant harm in the community through his criminality.

“His brazen behaviour in stopping to threaten two people whilst being pursued by police is reflective of his disregard for the law and the safety of innocent members of the public.

“The custodial sentence handed to Livingstone by the court is testament to the victims and witnesses of this case in assisting the police in this investigation.

“Members of our community should not be expected to tolerate despicable behaviour and mindless violence from individuals like Livingstone and it is clear that the court agrees that people who cause harm, supplying drugs and offering violence are best placed in prison.

“I would like to thank the investigation team and the officer in the case for their diligence in pursing this conviction and under Wiltshire Police’s Project Optimise, the Serious and Organised Crime Unit will continue to pursue criminals like Livingstone and ensure they are brought to justice.”