Man jailed after 130 mph police pursuit in Berkshire
Motorist in uninsured car failed to stop eventually crashing near Maidenhead
Last updated 12th Mar 2021
A man has been jailed after he was convicted of a number of driving offences in Maidenhead.
25-year-old Marcus Burke, from Clive Road in London, pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous driving, one count of failing to provide a specimen for analysis, one count of failing to stop for police, one count of driving without a licence and one count of driving without insurance at a hearing at Reading Crown Court.
Burke was sentenced to ten months’ imprisonment for the driving offences and had a previous six month suspended prison sentence activated for a class B drugs supply offence, to be served consecutively, resulting in a total of 16 months’ imprisonment.
Burke was also disqualified from driving for 20 months and told to take an extended re-test when his disqualification expires.
At about 5pm on 8 February this year, officers from the Roads Policing Unit based at Taplow police station were notified by their in-car ANPR camera of a Volkswagen Golf being driven without insurance on the A308M.
Initially, Burke stopped when asked to on the M4 junction 8/9 roundabout, but as he was asked to pull further down the road onto the hard shoulder of the A404, Burke made off and failed to stop for police.
Burke conducted a series of dangerous manoeuvres, including undertaking several vehicles, swerving in and out of lanes and travelling at speeds of 130mph, before making an erratic turn to exit the A404 towards the Thicket roundabout.
In doing so, Burke entered the slip road at approximately 100mph and failed to navigate the roundabout.
He narrowly missed vehicles on the slip road before striking the kerb and crashing into trees and bushes.
He sustained no injuries, but was arrested at the scene and charged the following day.
PC Connor Horan of the Joint Operations Unit for Roads Policing, said:
“The driving standards displayed by Burke were dangerous and wholly unnecessary.
“His driving was all the more dangerous given the weather conditions, which were poor with light snow and an ice risk in places.
“He showed no consideration for his safety or the safety of other road users.
“After the incident, we established the reason he failed to stop was because he did not hold a licence or insurance, matters that could have been dealt with at the roadside had he not taken the decision to flee police.
“As a result of Burke’s actions, he will now have to serve a custodial sentence.
“The message is simple. If police request you to stop, please stop. We will not tolerate driving of this manner in the Thames Valley and will make every effort to prosecute those who choose to.”