Hartlepool driver with 'dreadful' record crashed after speeding away from police at 90mph in car he had just bought in field

A rogue driver has been jailed after a 90mph rush hour police chase in a car he had just bought that ended in a crash.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Charlie Dunn, 24, who has a bad record for driving offences including numerous bans, bought a Subaru Forester for scrap value in a field near the Hart bypass.

He caught the attention of police almost as soon as he turned onto the A179 during the afternoon rush hour on September 29 and sped off.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Teesside Crown Court heard officers in a marked police car waiting in traffic heard screeching tyres about 10 yards behind them.

Dunn drove down narrow Worset Lane at about 60mph.Dunn drove down narrow Worset Lane at about 60mph.
Dunn drove down narrow Worset Lane at about 60mph.

Looking in the mirror they saw smoke was coming from the tyres and the car had no windscreen, said prosecutor Neil Jones.

As police turned around, so did Dunn who accelerated towards Hartlepool.

Mr Jones said: “During this pursuit the Subaru accelerated up to what the officers put at near 90 miles an hour, weaving in and out of traffic and causing oncoming drivers to swerve towards the kerb.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dunn slammed on the brakes and turned onto Worset Lane where he reached speeds of up to 60mph despite it being so narrow that only one vehicle could use the road.

The case was dealt with at Teesside Crown Court.The case was dealt with at Teesside Crown Court.
The case was dealt with at Teesside Crown Court.

Police slowed down to try to encourage Dunn to do the same due to their fears of a head-on collision occurring with an innocent motorist.

He drove into a field where he crashed into a fence post.

Judge Chris Smith said Dunn, of Amberton Road, Hartlepool, had a “dreadful” record with half of his 40 previous offences being for driving matters.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They include a previous dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, having no insurance and driving other than in accordance with a licence for the latest incident.

Stephen Constantine, mitigating, said he did not set out to buy a car that day.

He said Dunn had been working abroad installing cables and kept out of trouble for four years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But he said Dunn’s head was “all over the place” after being laid off and because his partner had suffered a miscarriage.

Jailing Dunn for eight months, Judge Smith said: “I would be failing in my public duty if I did not mark this offending with a immediate custodial sentence.”

He was also banned from driving for 28 months.

Read More
Deputy takes on interim Cleveland Police chief constable role

Support your Mail and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest on Pools and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

The Hartlepool Mail has been in town since 1877, and your support means we can continue telling your stories for generations to come. Click here to subscribe.