Banned Hartlepool driver sparked dangerous 80mph daytime police chase after taking dad's BMW

Disqualified Marc Keenan, 33, hit speeds of up to 80mph, drove on the wrong side of roads and weaved in and out of traffic while being followed by officers around Owton Manor and Rossmere in Hartlepool.

At one stage police had to call off the pursuit because it was becoming too dangerous, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Keenan’s father thought his car had been stolen on March 17 last year and reported it to police.

At around 11am the vehicle was spotted in Wynyard Road and police tried to get him to stop.

Anthony Pettengell, prosecuting, said: “What followed was a relatively short but at times very fast police chase.”

Keenan drove at speed through several surrounding roads, often on the wrong side, and back on to Wynyard Road, reaching speeds of 70mph and 80mph.

He then drove into Rossmere Way down a no entry junction while gesturing out of the window to police.

In Maxwell Road he drove directly towards a facing police car before veering back onto the right side of the road within feet of the vehicle.

Mr Pettengell added: “PC Dove identifies Mr Keenan as the driver as he hung out of the driver’s window with his right arm in the air holding his middle finger up and shouting at the police.

“The pursuit was aborted due to the danger that was considered.”

The BMW was abandoned in Earlston Walk and police found Keenan, who has numerous driving-related previous convictions, hiding in a wardrobe at a property in Wynyard Mews.

About three months later Keenan committed another dangerous driving offence and an assault which saw him sentenced to 14 months prison in January.

He admitted the March dangerous driving and was jailed for another six months and disqualified for 15 months.

Keenan, whose address was listed as Durham Prison, said to the judge: “I’m never going to drive again.”

Stephen Constantine, mitigating, said: “It seems Mr Keenan has spent his time well in custody.

"He clearly needs to engage with the probation service to built on that work.”

The judge, Recorder Nicholas Lumley, said Keenan had performed “a whole host of dangerous manoeuvres”, adding he was old enough to know better.

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