Banned driver crashed stolen car in speed pursuit
Cleveland PoliceA dangerous driver who seriously damaged a police car before rolling his stolen Jaguar over during a high-speed pursuit has been jailed.
Police spotted Macaulay Branighan, 26, at the wheel of the white Jaguar E-Pace three weeks after it was reported stolen from Billingham, Teesside Crown Court heard.
He reached speeds of 70mph in a 30mph zone as a police helicopter and several cars pursued him for 25 minutes around Stockton before he crashed.
Branighan was jailed for 14 months after admitting dangerous driving and driving while disqualified and without insurance.
The car was stolen from a house in Billingham on New Year's Eve, prosecutor Dan Wilberforce said.
Shortly after midnight on 25 January this year, a police officer saw the vehicle travelling along Scurfield Road in Stockton, the court heard.
They began following and Branighan sped away, passing through a red light, narrowly missing another vehicle and swerving into a police car as it attempted to overtake causing minor damage.
'No safety concern'
Police twice paused the pursuit due to public safety concerns before resuming, the court heard.
On at least two occasions Branighan braked heavily in front of the pursuing officers, the second time causing one of the of cars to ram into the back of his Jaguar resulting in extensive damage to the police vehicle.
The 14 mile-long (23km) pursuit ended when Branighan, who was banned from driving for three years in 2022 for failing to provide a specimen, crashed the stolen Jaguar into a self-reservation and rolled the car over.
Judge Geoffrey Marson KC said the driving was about "as bad as I've come across" and Branighan had a "bad driving record".
He said Branighan, of Bourton Court in Middlesbrough, made "deliberate attempts" to damage the police vehicles and showed no concern for the safety of the officers.
Branighan was also banned from driving for a further three years and seven months and will have to take an extended test before getting his licence back.