Dangerous Driver Put Lives At Risk

A man who put the lives of other motorists at risk during a desperate attempt to evade police has been jailed.

Ben Longworth, 39, was wanted by police for twice not paying for petrol when he was spotted driving a silver Skoda Octavia by officers in the early hours of Tuesday, 11 January.

The officers activated their blue lights and signalled for Longworth to pull over on the A47 heading towards Thorney.

Longworth ignored them and began overtaking vehicles at speed and at the roundabout at Thorney turned right and proceeded the wrong way around the roundabout, causing an HGV to take evasive action.

He left the roundabout on the wrong side of the road and headed back towards Peterborough on the A47, causing two oncoming cars to swerve as he approached them head on.

Travelling at speeds of up to 95mph, Longworth approached Eye where officers used a stinger but he continued and a second stinger was deployed before the vehicle came to a stop.

Longworth, of Kings Cliffe, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, failing to stop, failing to provide a specimen for analysis, driving without insurance and making off without payment.

He was sentenced to a 23 months and 56 days in prison and disqualified from driving for three years at Peterborough Crown Court.

PC James Styles said: "Longworth’s driving put the lives of all road users in the area at risk and it's sheer luck that no one was seriously injured."