Driver rammed police car in pursuit escape bid
Northumbria PoliceA driver who rammed a police car and reached speeds of 80mph in a 30mph zone during a 10-minute bid to evade capture has been jailed for a year.
Mark Branker, 52, initially stopped when police pulled his Mercedes over in Sunderland in the early hours of 18 July last year, but he then reversed into the officers' car before making off, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Branker, who had 164 offences on his record including for dangerous, drink and drug driving, drove at speed down residential streets and went through red lights in his attempts to avoid arrest, the court heard.
He admitted dangerous driving with a judge saying it was "unbelievable" he did not hurt anyone.
Police spotted Branker's Mercedes crossing the Northern Spire bridge and followed as he was wanted for unrelated matters, prosecutor Lucy Todd said.
They pulled him over on Ravenswood Road, but when officers got out of their car to go and speak to him he reversed into their vehicle and drove away, the court heard.
As well as speeding, he went the wrong way round a roundabout and passed through red lights during a pursuit that lasted nearly 10 minutes, the court was told.
The pursuit eventually ended when Branker stopped, with officers finding he had a female passenger with him, Todd said.
Judge Carolyn Scott said it was "somewhat unbelievable given the manner of [Branker's] driving" he did not cause a crash or injure anyone.
She banned Branker, of Bayswater Avenue in Sunderland, from driving for two and a half years.