Dangerous driver left his licence in car after police chase

Arran Jeffrey was spotted at the wheel of a VW Golf which was insured to two women, on the M1, at 9.30pm, on July 21, 2019, said prosecutor Matthew Burdon.

When the officer turned on his siren to signal for him to stop, Jeffrey accelerated to 90mph and swerved sharply to leave the motorway at junction 2.

He nearly hit the crash barrier and ran two red traffic lights before driving at 80mph on the Great Yorkshire Way, outside Doncaster.

Jeffrey narrowly missed another car at Parrots Corner, and clipped the kerb on Warning Tongue Lane as he turned into a housing estate.

He drove down a footpath at 40mph before abandoning the car on Brantwood Avenue and making off through gardens.

Officers searched the Golf and found 15.6 grams of cannabis in 16 bags, and his driving licence, which led them to his home address where he was discovered in his bedroom.

He made no comment when he was later interviewed, Mr Burdon said.

Jeffrey only has one previous conviction for possession of cannabis with internt to supply, from February last year, the court heard.

Barrister Ed Moss said Jeffrey deserved credit for his prompt guilty plea, adding that his age, the impact of Covid-19, and delays in the case coming to court were all mitigating factors.

Jeffrey, 19, of Acacia Road, Doncaster, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and possession of cannabis, when he appeared at Doncaster Magistrates Court, on December 15.

Recorder Anthony Hawks told him: "What do you think you're doing? You only passed your driving test.

"You could have killed yourself. You could have killed other people."

On Wednesday, he sentenced Jeffrey to nine months of detention, suspended for 18 months, and imposed a three month curfew, between 8pm and 7am.

The judge also banned him from driving for 12 months and ordered that he must not get back behind the wheel of a car until he has passed an advanced driving test.

Read the latest cases from Sheffield Crown Court here.

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