100mph car chase driver is banned

Andrew Paul Bark, 41, of Field View Terrace, St Michael's Lane, Wainfleet St Mary admitted failing to stop for police and driving with excess alcohol, when he appeared at Boston Magistrates Court.

Prosecutor Jim Clare said that in the late evening of January 17, police saw Bark driving a red Mitsubishi pick up truck which came out of a junction without slowing down and then travel at excessive speeds along the A52, at times over 90mph in the 50mph limited area.

He said the police vehicle had to accelerate to 100mph to keep up with the truck, which was ignoring the police car's blue flashing light.

Mr Clare said the pick up turned abruptly right into a 30mph area, travelling at 50mph and the police car sounded its siren, but still Bark ignored the police car and turned into a field where the police car couldn't follow.

He said police then went to Bark's home in St Michael's Lane, where they found the truck parked at the rear of his house, locked and unattended.

He said the officers found Bark in a neighbour's garden.

Mr Clare said Bark provided a positive breath test and a reading of 49 microgrammes of alcohol in his reath, the legal limit being 35.

He told the magistrates that Bark had a conviction for dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol in 2006 and in 2010 he had been banned from driving for four years after an excess alcohol conviction.

In mitigation, Helen Coney said it had been almost 10 years since his last conviction and during that time he had had difficulties, including being a victim of domestic violence and suffering from depression.

She said that he did not think he would be over the alcohol limit on the day of the offences and that he had not seen the police behind him 'as his mind was elsewhere'.

Banning him from driving for 40 months, the magistrates described it as an 'extremely dangerous' incident which 'could have had very bad consequences'.

He was also ordered to undertake 10 rehabilitation days and to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work for the community.

He was also ordered to pay £175 in court costs and charges.