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JAILED: Driver fled police at 93mph on Black Country New Road

A 28-year-old man with no driving licence wrecked his partner’s Audi A3 while hurtling through heavy rain at up to 93mph to escape the police.

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Wolverhampton Crown Court where the case was heard

Ewan Jervis, who had also written off his partner’s previous car, had taken the vehicle without permission and panicked when ordered to stop, a judge heard.

The defendant, who was travelling alone, came to a standstill, in Oldbury Road, Oldbury, but accelerated away seconds later as the officers spoke to him around 1.20pm on June 2, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

“They made checks on the car because he looked extremely nervous and discovered he was not insured, so told him to stop,” said Mr Jasvir Mann, prosecuting.

Jervis went through several red lights and reached speeds of 80 mph in a 30 limit, went on the wrong side of the carriage and undertook cars as he weaved in an out of traffic while the rain got worse, it was said.

Other motorists were forced to take evasive action or stop but he hit the back of another car while trying to avoid a bollard, fortunately without seriously damaging either vehicle.

The Audi reached speeds up to 93mph on the Black Country New Road, which has a 40 limit, scything in front of other vehicles on the entrance to roundabouts before finally losing control as he approached another traffic island so fast the £6,000 car was tossed into the air with all four wheels off the ground as it hit a kerb.

It almost overturned before coming to rest and the defendant fled on foot but was detained after a “challenging” arrest, concluded Mr Mann.

The car was written off, causing his social worker partner – a mother of children aged two and six – a great deal of hardship, the court was told.

Mr Richard Gibbs, defending, explained: “He knew he did not have permission to drive and panicked. It was an appalling piece of bad driving followed.

"This was a tempestuous relationship he recognises is not a positive one and wants to end it.”

Unemployed Jervis from Chamberlane Walk, Smethwick pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving and was jailed for 15 months.

He was told by Judge Amjad Nawaz: “This was a persistent and sustained piece of bad driving lasting six minutes.”

The defendant was banned from driving for two years on his release from prison.

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