Bristol police chase: Driver jailed for four years

Tomlinson admitted two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving

A man has been jailed for hitting two pedestrians while fleeing from police in a high-speed chase with his pregnant wife as a passenger.

Bristol Crown Court heard Macauley Tomlinson carried one of the pedestrians on his bonnet for 100 metres.

He reached speeds of 193km (120mph) during the pursuit in Bristol on 30 April.

Tomlinson also caused a crash between a taxi and police car on the M32.

The 26-year-old, of Midsomer Norton, Somerset, admitted two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for four years.

Tomlinson [second from bottom] reached speeds of 120 mph (193KM) on the M32

Police were initially responding to reports that a women had been pulled into a vehicle on Hotwells Road, Bristol at 23:50 GMT on 30 April.

Tomlinson then drove off from police at speed through the city centre, colliding with two pedestrians after running a red light onto St Augustine's Parade.

One of them, a 19-year-old woman, was on the bonnet of his silver Ford Kuga for around 100 metres before falling off and fracturing her leg.

"He swerved the car trying to dislodge her as she clung to the windscreen wiper," said PC Andy Smetham.

Tomlinson was driving at speeds of up to 80mph (128km) on city-centre roads, then reached 120mph once he joined the M32 motorway.

Tomlinson tried to escape on foot

His pregnant partner, 36, was also trapped in the car. The court was told her baby was unharmed in the incident but that she continues to suffer back pain.

After joining the M32, Tomlinson caused a crash involving a taxi and one of the police vehicles involved in the pursuit.

The 34-year-old male passenger in the taxi had significant physical injuries and it took two hours for him to be freed by the emergency services.

The taxi driver, a 38-year-old man, suffered whiplash and ongoing back pain.

Tomlinson's vehicle was finally stopped on the Wellsway at Keynsham by officers who deployed a stinger device to puncture the tyres.

He tried to escape on foot but was tracked by a police helicopter and quickly detained by officers.

"Tomlinson's actions changed everything for five innocent people, I hope this sentence will enable them to start rebuilding their lives," added PC Smetham.