Astra driver narrowly avoided smashing into Leeds Morrisons supermarket during 70mph street chase

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A banned driver led police on a 70mph chase and narrowed avoiding ploughing into a supermarket when he lost control.

Jordan Bennett was trying to flee when officers became suspicious of the Vauxhall Astra in Halton Moor on the evening of February 14 this year.

Leeds Crown Court heard that he more than doubled the 30mph speed limit in built-up areas in his desperate bid to get away.

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Prosecutor Harry Crowson said the officers’ suspicions were raised when the car appeared to speed up.

Bennett (pictured) nearly crashed into Morrisons in Halton Moor during a police chase. (pics by WYP / Google Maps)Bennett (pictured) nearly crashed into Morrisons in Halton Moor during a police chase. (pics by WYP / Google Maps)
Bennett (pictured) nearly crashed into Morrisons in Halton Moor during a police chase. (pics by WYP / Google Maps) | WYP / Google Maps

A check on the system revealed the Astra belonged to a female from the Doncaster area. They activated their lights and sirens but Bennett put his foot down, reaching dangerous speeds.

But he then misjudged a corner and spun his car 90 degrees, narrowly missing the Morrisons supermarket which sits between Selby Avenue and Selby Road.

His passenger stayed in their seat, but Bennett got out and ran. After help from a member of the public who pointed officers in the right direction, they were able to locate him. He was found with a small quantity of cannabis on him.

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He gave no comments during his interview, but did deny he was the driver. The 32-year-old, of Kelmscott Lane, Manston, admitted possession of a Class B drug but only admitted four driving offences after his trial had started.

He confessed to dangerous driving, driving while banned, without insurance, and possession of bladed article after a knife was also found on him.

Bennett was on a four-month suspended sentence at the time for similar offending and has eight previous convictions for 22 offences, including numerous for driving while disqualified.

A probation report suggested Bennett wanted to stop his offending because it was “causing anguish for his family”. He works in a bed factory and was a heavy cannabis user, smoking around £140 worth a week.

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Mitigating, Timothy Jacobs pointed out that Bennett’s last jail stint was in 2016 and due to the well-documented overcrowding in prisons, he would likely spend any custody time in a remand prison under a “harsher regime”.

Judge Neil Clark told Bennett: “Your record for motoring offences is a very bad one. This is serious offending and very much aggravated by your record.”

He gave him 18 months’ jail and a new driving ban of four years and nine months. He will also need to sit an extended re-test to get his licence back.

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