Man jailed for causing high-speed pursuit through Southend city centre
T-Jay Shepherd led officers on a 90-minute chase around the city in April
A man has been sentenced to 19 months in prison after he led police on a high-speed pursuit through Southend city centre.
Essex Police had been driving through the city on April 1st, when they noticed suspicious activity coming from a Vauxhall Astra, and signalled for him to stop.
However, the car would fail to stop for officers and Essex Police then engaged in a pursuit of the car which saw the police follow the driver through the city's residential streets.
In total, the pursuit lasted for 12 minutes, with the Vauxhall Astra eventually being stopped at Victoria Avenue. The driver, T-Jay Shepherd then fled from the car, but was found shortly after and arrested.
32-year-old Shepherd, of no fixed abode, was then charged with dangerous driving, failing to provide a specimen for analysis, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance.
All charged were eventually admitted by Shepherd at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on May 3rd, with the man being given a prison sentence on Thursday (July 10th).
Paul Simmons from Essex Police, who had led the pursuit, spoke on the ruling: "The way this car was being driven was a risk to all road users, including the driver himself and, as a team, we had to work incredibly hard to ensure it was brought to a safe conclusion.
“When you’re leading this sort of incident, you just have to be calm, that’s the only way you can ensure you’re making the right decisions to protect the safety of everyone involved. It’s your training gives you that ability.”
Essex Police's head of roads policing, Adam Pipe said of the incident: "The skill and determination of PC Simmons behind the wheel for the entirety of this incident is certainly something to behold.
“I want to commend his calmness in the face the dangerous manner of driving he was faced with – and at all times, the safety of the public was paramount in his actions.
“To anyone who thinks they can use vehicles like this on the roads of Essex – you cannot. We’ll get behind you and we’ll stop you. Don’t take the risk.”