This is the moment brave police officers brought a 105mph car chase to an end as banned driver races wrong way on A19

The bravery of police officers who risked their own lives to bring a car chase to an end has been praised.
Police praised for stopped car chase.Police praised for stopped car chase.
Police praised for stopped car chase.

The split second decision of the Durham Constabulary officers brought a high speed pursuit to an end and prevented what was described as an inevitable head-on collision.

Judge Christopher Prince praised the bravery of PCs Andy Garside and Naomi Anderson as he awarded them a judicial commendation for putting their own lives at risk to protect the public.

Police praised for stopped car chase.Police praised for stopped car chase.
Police praised for stopped car chase.
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Speaking at Durham Crown Court, Judge Prince said their actions stopped an innocent motorist being seriously injured or even killed by Daniel Henderson, who was jailed for 22 and a half months for dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified.

The pursuit, at about 10.30pm on November 17, last year lasted little more than five minutes as Henderson led officers along the A181 on the outskirts of Durham, at times reaching speeds of up to 105mph and driving on the wrong side of the road.

As he reached a roundabout at Castle Eden, Henderson, formerly of Station Road, Easington Colliery, took the decision to head north onto the southbound carriageway of the A19.

It was at this point PC Garside took action and struck the offside of the Renault Clio that Henderson, 26, was driving, forcing him off the road and into the verge.

Daniel Henderson has been jailed.Daniel Henderson has been jailed.
Daniel Henderson has been jailed.
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Judge Prince said: “I highly commend the act of bravery. This officer put his own life at risk to protect members of the public from what I consider would have been serious injury or death.”

He added: “No matter how many times a defendant drives dangerously, no matter how dangerous his driving has been in the past, the maximum sentence a judge can impose for dangerous driving is two years.

“Any more and it would be rendered an unlawful sentence.

“The maximum for driving whilst disqualified is six months.”

Henderson was given credit for early guilty pleas and so Judge Prince sentenced him to 18 months for dangerous driving and four and a half months for driving whilst disqualified. These will run consecutively.

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He was also jailed for three months for driving with excess alcohol, which will run concurrently, and banned from driving for three years and 11 months.

He will have to complete an advanced driving test before getting behind the wheel of a car in future.