Banned driver jailed for dangerous police pursuit

David Dewhurst admitted multiple offences including dangerous driving and assaulting a police officer

A banned driver who led police on a high-speed pursuit through residential streets has been jailed.

David Dewhurst, 33, was spotted by police driving a red Seat Leon in Newcastle without the lights on at about 02:00 BST on 24 April this year, the city's crown court heard.

The pursuit across Newcastle and Gateshead lasted several minutes and Dewhurst drove on the wrong side of the road, across a park and up narrow streets before police rammed him from the road.

Dewhurst, who had been given a suspended prison sentence for assault weeks earlier and was banned from driving at the time, admitted offences including dangerous driving. He was jailed for two years and 10 months.

The court heard Dewhurst was spotted reversing his friend's car into Denton Road in Newcastle without its headlights on, prosecutor Claire Anderson said.

He then drove away and ignored police demands to pull over, the court heard.

The pursuit moved on to the A1 before heading into Swalwell and Whickham, where he drove far in excess of the 20mph speed limit on park footpaths, Ms Anderson said.

After police rammed his car, he attempted to flee on foot but was quickly caught, the court heard.

'Absolutely appalling record'

As he was being arrested, he punched a police officer in the face and a Taser had to be deployed to subdue him, Ms Anderson said.

In mitigation, Shaun Routledge said Dewhurst, of Axwell Terrace in Swalwell, "panicked" when he first saw police.

The court heard Dewhurst had 40 convictions for 84 offences including multiple driving-related crimes.

He had been banned from driving for a year in September 2023 for driving while disqualified and on 2 April this year was sentenced to 18 months in jail suspended for two years for a domestic assault.

Judge Stephen Earl, who had imposed the suspended sentence weeks before the latest police pursuit, said Dewhurst had an "absolutely appalling record" and had been warned on 2 April he would be jailed if he offended again.

"You decided to take the risk 22 days later," the judge said, adding while the pursuit was in the early hours of the morning, it just needed one person to be in the wrong place for it to have had catastrophic consequences.

Dewhurst, who also admitted assaulting an emergency worker and taking a vehicle without consent, was banned from driving for three years and five months and must pass an extended test to get his licence back.