Teenager jailed for police chase smash

12:14pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

A TETBURY teenager was yesterday put behind bars for six months after a "horrendous" piece of dangerous driving which saw him speeding down country lanes - eventually smashing into another car.

Dean Shackell was "fortunate" not to have killed a young woman driver, himself and his friend, said Judge Mark Horton after hearing of the events of January 19 this year.

Shackell was spotted by a police constable driving out of Tetbury at around 6pm and then travelling round a roundabout back into the town, said Paul Grumbar, prosecuting.

The officer did a check on the 19-year-old's Peugeot and discovered it was not insured so gave chase - with blue lights flashing.

Shackell accelerated away and drove into Tetbury's residential streets at speed and over humps - getting up to 70-80mph in a 40mph zone, the court heard.

He then made another turn down into a country lane and the officer lost sight of him on what was a dark wet and windy night, explained Mr Grumbar.

The officer then took another turn onto the Avening to Tetbury road and saw the defendant's rear lights again but he accelerated away.

At the junction with the B4614, the police officer realised that Shackell had collided with another car. His passenger was left in the car and the other driver - Samantha Thomas - was injured.

She received a number of injuries including bruising and a twisted ankle along with a neck injury, said Mr Grumbar.

In a victim impact statement she said she had lost confidence and had been in pain for a considerable time after the crash.

Mr Grumbar said Shackell's passenger - Tony Farthing - was also bruised and cut.

He had asked the defendant to stop on a number of occasions during the chase - but Shackell replied that he had no car tax and he didn't want the vehicle to be impounded.

Shackell, of Hampton Rd, Tetbury, Glos pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on March 28.

Judge Mark Horton said to Dermot Clarke, defending, that the offence was aggravated by the fact it was prolonged dangerous driving over three miles, that his passenger had asked him to stop and because of the injuries.

Mr Clarke said Shackell accepted his guilt and had been frank with the police.

He said Shackell was driving that day - in fact legitimately - to his parents to pick up an insurance document. He was insured but there had been a mistake on the paperwork.

Mr Clarke said the impact of prison on Shackell would be substantial and he handed up a letter from the defendant's employers to the judge.

Judge Horton said to Shackell: "You drove this car in a quite horrendous way."

The judge pointed out that he had driven between 70mph and 80mph in a residential area in conditions, which were wet and muddy.

He added that Shackell had been fortunate not to kill the woman driver, himself and his passenger.

"You've caused her permanent fear of going out in a motor car," he said.

The least sentence he could pass, he said, was six months detention.

The judge also disqualified the 19-year-old from driving for two years - and said he must take a re-test before he gets another licence.

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