Walsall street racer fined and given suspended prison sentence after flouting car cruising injunction
A Walsall street racer has been handed a three month suspended prison sentence after driving at speeds of 70mph in a 30 zone.
Daejon Nanton, 18, admitted contempt of court after flouting Birmingham's car cruising injunction on the evening of Sunday January 14.
The city's injunction, which runs until October 2019, means anyone caught racing or joining unauthorised vehicle rallies on the city’s streets will be held in contempt of the ruling and can be put before a judge.
Operation
The injunction spans the whole of Birmingham and also covers wider anti-social motoring like riding in convoy, performing stunts, revving engines, blaring horns and playing loud music at vehicle gatherings.
Officers carried out a pre-planned operation in the Nechells and Washwood Heath areas of Birmingham responding to complaints from residents about people gathering to race or perform stunts in their cars.
As well as Nanton's suspended sentence he was also fined £300 when he appeared at Birmingham magistrates court yesterday.
Three other men arrested on the same night also appeared at court:
Abdur-Rahman Ditta, aged 27 from Bromford, admitted breach of the injunction and will be sentenced at a later date.
Tyrone Gordon, aged 31 from Nechells, and Jermaine Saa, aged 26 from Dunstall, Wolverhampton, denied the offence and will stand trial in a month’s time.
Dangerous
Superintendent Dean Hatton, Head of Force Traffic, said: "The sentence handed to Nanton today sends a clear message that the courts will not tolerate this anti-social and dangerous activity on our streets and anyone flouting the injunction will face a prison sentence.
“Should Nanton be caught taking part in any further street racing, he will serve his prison sentence along with punishment for any subsequent offences.
Supt Hatton added: “We’ve taken a really firm stance on street racers in recent years: more than 200 have been taken to court and handed heavy fines and driving bans.
“And the High Court order - secured by Birmingham City Council - now gives us additional powers to take offenders to court.
“Signs have been put up at the roadside on hotspot routes, including the A47 Fort Parkway, A38, A45 and city centre ‘Middleways’, warning drivers about the Injunction. There are no excuses."
