South Yorkshire dangerous driver jailed after he wasted chance to stay out of prison

A repeat offender and banned motorist wasted a chance to stay out of prison after he was caught driving dangerously during a police pursuit.
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Sheffield Crown Court heard how Joe Haigh, aged 33, of Stotfold Drive, Thurnscoe, near Barnsley and Rotherham, had previously been given a deferred sentence after he was caught with a prohibited mobile phone during his last stay in prison but Judge Michael Slater adjourned that case to give him a chance to prove himself before sentencing.

However, Peter Byrne, prosecuting, told the court on January 13 how Haigh was spotted by police in December in a Ford Fiesta before he sped away and sparked a police pursuit.

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Mr Byrne said when police approached the Fiesta which was registered to an address in Derbyshire it sped away at 50mph towards Station Road and back to Thurnscoe where two vehicles had to avoid him.

Pictured is Joe Haigh, aged 33, of Stotfold Drive, Thurnscoe, near Barnsley and Rotherham, who has been sentenced to 18 months of custody and banned from drivng for 12 months after he admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and attempting to convey a mobile phone into a prison.Pictured is Joe Haigh, aged 33, of Stotfold Drive, Thurnscoe, near Barnsley and Rotherham, who has been sentenced to 18 months of custody and banned from drivng for 12 months after he admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and attempting to convey a mobile phone into a prison.
Pictured is Joe Haigh, aged 33, of Stotfold Drive, Thurnscoe, near Barnsley and Rotherham, who has been sentenced to 18 months of custody and banned from drivng for 12 months after he admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and attempting to convey a mobile phone into a prison.

Haigh reached 70mph before slowing at a mini-roundabout, according to Mr Byrne, and drove into alleyways at about 50mph before crossing a junction where another vehicle took evasive action.

Mr Byrne said Haigh collided with a kerb and stopped on Derry Grove where two passengers got out and then he reversed into the police vehicle injuring the officer.

Haigh, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.

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Andrew Smith, defending, said: “He managed to stay out of trouble for six months after your honour’s deferment and it was at the end of it that temptation got in his way.”

Mr Smith added Haigh claims he lost control of the gears and had not purposefully reversed into the officer.

Mr Byrne explained Haigh had been subject to a deferred sentence after he had handed over a mobile phone and SIM card at HMP Moorlands in January, 2019, during a previous custodial sentence while being transferred from HMP Lindholme.

Haigh, who admitted attempting to convey a prohibited article into prison, claimed he had been in debt and had been made to carry the phone by another prisoner.

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Judge Slater told Haigh: “The idea was for you to make progress and you threw it all away.”

Haigh was sentenced to 18 months of custody and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

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