February 2, 2018 4.34 pm This story is over 73 months old

Wainfleet man crashed car into dyke after 120mph police chase

Jailed.
Reece Howard has been jailed

A motorist who drove at 120mph in a bid to escape from pursuing police officers has been jailed at Lincoln Crown Court.

Reece Howard performed a u-turn and headed off in the opposite direction when he realised police were trying to stop him on the A16 at Sibsey.

Lisa Hardy, prosecuting, said that Howard reached 100mph on the main road before turning on to Sibsey Drain Bank.

He continued at a similar speed along Boston Long Hedges before accelerating up to 120mph on Hobhole Bank.

At one point Howard attempted to force his car between two other vehicles on the road, clipping one of them, before continuing on his way.

The 12-minute pursuit left his female passenger terrified.

Miss Hardy said the incident ended when Howard’s car left the road. The vehicle brushed against an electricity pole and collided with a road sign before ending up in a dyke. Howard, who was trapped inside his car, was arrested at the scene.

Miss Hardy said: “It was clear he was under the influence of something. He was asked to take a drugs swipe and he failed that. Tests showed he was under the influence of cannabis.”

Howard, 24, of St Michael’s Lane, Wainfleet, admitted charges of dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident and driving while under the influence of drugs following the incident on the afternoon of July 28, 2017.

He was jailed for 12 months and banned from driving for three and a half years.

Judge Simon Hirst, passing sentence, told him: “I consider this to be a bad example of dangerous driving.”

Neil Sands, in mitigation, said that Howard had a fascination with cars from a young age.

“It is fortuitous that no-one was injured,” he said.