Drink-driver jailed after 100mph police pursuit

Tinashi Wilson was three times over the drinking and driving limit

A drunken driver who reached 109mph during a police pursuit has been jailed for 10 months and banned from driving for three years.

Tinashi Wilson, 26, from Cockermouth, was in a silver Peugeot with false number plates when he was spotted by police, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

He initially stopped when flagged down by officers in Workington at about 02:00 BST on 30 April but then sped off.

Recorder Julian Shaw said it was an "extremely bad" case of dangerous driving.

“You were fortunate indeed that no-one was injured and that you didn’t kill yourself, driving as badly impaired as you were,” the judge said.

“You put police officers at risk; that is unacceptable.”

The court heard Wilson, of Slatefell Drive, had driven through Workington at twice the 30mph limit and then reached 109mph on the A66.

Over the course of eight miles, travelling towards Cockermouth, he drove on the wrong side of the road forcing oncoming vehicles to stop.

'Appalling' offending

Wilson also sped through red lights, across solid white lines and went the wrong way around roundabouts.

Three police patrol cars tried to stop him going into Cockermouth.

As he attempted to turn back towards Workington, one officer made a tactical stop, forcing the inebriated driver to lose control.

Prosecutor Brendan Burke said Wilson "briefly rolled his vehicle on to its side before it righted itself on to all four wheels".

Wilson, who was almost three times over the drink drive limit, was charged with dangerous driving, drinking and driving, driving without insurance and failing to stop for a police officer.

He was also charged with having an offensive weapon in public after a baseball bat was found in his car.

His lawyer, Jeff Smith, conceded the offending was “appalling” for which there was “no explanation nor justification”.