West Sussex driver who led police on high-speed pursuit jailed
He reached speeds of 80mph in a 30mph residential zone
Police have released video footage of the moment a dangerous and disqualified driver leads police on a high-speed pursuit through Durrington.
Sussex Police said Alan Gale, who has been jailed following the incident on July 25th last year, showed "no regard for life or limb”.
The footage has been released as Sussex Police continues to crack down on motorists who risk the lives of themselves and others on the county's roads.
Officers from the West Sussex Tactical Enforcement Unit spotted a vehicle of interest in the Tarring area. They turned around with the intention of speaking to its occupants, at which point the silver BMW sped off.
It was pursued along Gaisford Road and through Tarring onto Terringes Avenue – a 30mph residential road – where it overtook a number of vehicles and reached speeds of up to 80mph.
The driver then turned left into The Boulevard, where he undertook another car and knocked the wing mirror off a parked car, before attempting to cross the grass verge onto the northbound carriageway, where it got stuck between the pursuing police vehicle and a tree.
Other units arrived at the scene and officers used batons to smash the BMW’s windows. They used captor spray and Taser on the driver – by this point identified as Alan Gale, a landscape gardener, of no fixed address – but seemingly to little effect.
The 38-year-old managed to escape and continued his erratic journey by heading north on the southbound carriageway – along a section of pavement – and then turned left into Palatine Road, where he crashed into a wall.
A police car arrived beside the BMW moments later, and Gale jumped across its bonnet and ran into the driveway of a neighbouring property. Following a short foot chase, he was safely detained.
Gale was arrested and charged with driving while disqualified, dangerous driving, driving with no insurance, and four counts of assaulting an emergency worker – relating to injuries sustained by officers as they attempted to prevent him from driving off when stuck in The Boulevard.
He was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing at Lewes Crown Court on 23 April, having pleaded guilty to all offences.
He was sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for 18 months, and must take an extended re-test should he wish to drive again.
Sergeant Chris Bryant, of the Tactical Enforcement Unit, who led the pursuit, said:
“In my 13 years as a police officer, I have experienced numerous vehicles failing to stop and attempting to flee. However I have never seen anyone with the same level of intent and extreme desperation to get away as Gale. His driving was reckless and dangerous, with no regard for life or limb.”
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Lynette Atkins, of Worthing Investigations, added:
“Gale was clearly intent on evading police, carrying out a number of outrageous manoeuvres and driving at grossly excessive speeds through residential areas.
“This case demonstrates that we will continue to take action against those who misuse the roads, and in particular those who commit the ‘fatal five’ offences – speeding, drink/drug-driving, mobile phone use, not wearing a seatbelt and careless driving – as we strive to reduce the number of fatal and serious injury collisions.”