'Reckless' driver ran van off road in police chase

A man who caused a van to flip off the road while being chased by police has been jailed for almost two years.

Wiltshire Police described Marlon Henriques' driving during the 12-minute pursuit as some of the "worst" and most "reckless" they had ever seen.

Henriques, 30, of Wylye Road in Tidworth, failed to stop when speeding on 10 June and went on to drive at 85mph (136km/h) in a 30mph (48km/h) zone and run a red light.

He admitted taking a vehicle without consent, dangerous driving and driving while disqualified and uninsured and was jailed for 22 months and disqualified from driving for four years and 11 months at Salisbury Crown Court on Thursday.

Marlon Henriques was jailed for 22 months on Thursday

Police said they had to drive at speeds of more than 100mph (160km/h) to catch up with Henriques, who had taken his housemate's Volkswagen Arteon.

Henriques was filmed performing several dangerous overtaking manoeuvres to escape police, including some on solid white lines and one on the brow of a hill that nearly ended in a head-on collision with an army truck.

After driving around the Sidbury Circular Road, Henriques mounted a pavement to overtake a vehicle waiting at the junction for the A338.

The pursuit, which happened in the middle of the day, continued towards Marlborough and onto the Ludgershall Road, where Henriques veered onto a dirt road on Salisbury Plain before exiting along Somme Road.

He headed back towards Tidworth when police successfully deployed a stinger, puncturing two of his nearside tyres.

Before coming to a stop, Henriques crashed into the rear of a van which caused it to overturn off the road and crash into a tree.

He then collided with an unmarked armed response vehicle that was ahead of the pursuit.

'Reckless'

PC Webster, from Wiltshire Police, said: "Henriques' driving is some of the worst I have seen.

"He put numerous lives in danger through his speeding and reckless overtaking, regularly driving through red lights and the wrong way around roundabouts.

"Stopping him involved excellent collaborative work between the roads policing unit, neighbourhood and response officers, and I'm pleased he has now been sentenced."