Bolton: Dangerous driver led police on 90mph chase

Tyler Huddart, 21, had been driving a black Renault Megane on false number plates on the evening of Sunday, January 3 this year.

When police noticed him on Manchester Road and tried to box him in, Bolton Crown Court heard how he shunted one of the police cars and sped off towards the Chequerbent roundabout.

Craig MacGregor, prosecuting, said: “I’ve lost count of the number of red lights he ran through at that time, it is frightening driving.”

Mr MacGregor told the court how Huddart, of Rose Hill Avenue, Wigan, sped across Wigan Road, Newbrook Road, Plodder Lane, Highfield Road and Dean Close in a bid to escape the pursuing officers.

The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

All the while he was driving without a licence or insurance and with cloned licence plates.

The chase was finally brought to an end after Huddart went off road at Dean Close where, according to Mr MacGregor, a man had been walking close by with a small child.

After taking the car off road and stopping, he was then arrested by police officers.

Mr MacGregor told the court that Huddart said to one of the arresting officers “nice one ginge, I got airtime there” referring to going off road.

Following his arrest, Huddart pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without a licence, driving without insurance and failing to stop for police officers at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court.

James Preece, defending, argued that Huddart, who has no previous criminal convictions, was entitled to credit for having pleaded guilty at the earliest possible opportunity.

He told the court that Huddart had ‘panicked’ when he saw the police and sped off.

Mr Preece said: “He behaved, as he puts it, in a stupid way.”

He added: “He can now look back and appreciate how things could have been so much worse.”

Mr Preece claimed that his client wanted to work with probation services to address thinking skills and that at just 21 and previously of ‘impeccable good character’ he still demonstrated a realistic chance of rehabilitation.

But the Honorary Recorder for Bolton Judge Martin Walsh reminded the court just how serious the consequences could have been.

He said: “It was grotesque driving of the highest category and it is only be sheer good fortune that no one was injured or killed.”

Judge Walsh told Huddart that if his driving had resulted in a death he would have been facing the longest possible sentence for his crimes, ‘into double figures.’

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But he admitted that he was ‘just about persuaded’ that the 21-year-old’s prison sentence could be suspended.

Judge Walsh sentenced Huddart to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years and ordered him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work with 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He also banned Huddart from the roads for four years.

Judge Walsh warned the defendant he had avoided prison ‘by the skin of his teeth’ and said he would not do so a second time if he came before the courts again.