Bolton: Dangerous van driver led police on A666 chase

Curtis O’Brien, 34, had been driving in a damaged van on St Peter’s Way, Bolton on November 26 2021 when police saw him passing another car.

Bolton Crown Court heard how police had been on patrol nearby.

James Preece, prosecuting, said: “A member of the public driving behind shouted to the officers that the van driver had been driving all over the carriageway and he suspected he was intoxicated.”

A chase along the A666 ensued before O’Brien, of no fixed abode, stopped.

But he then revved, forcing police officers to reach inside the van and take out his keys.

Though he at first gave his name as “Curt O’Brien”, officers found a driver's licence under another man’s name, which O’Brien allowed them to believe was his own.

The officers found two empty bottles of vodka inside the man and on searching O’Brien found that he had been carrying a small amount of cannabis.

But when he was brought before the magistrates, O’Brien then pleaded not guilty to his crimes under the false name police had found on the driving licence.

This lead another, entirely innocent, man to receive a summons to appear before Bolton Crown Court.

Mr Preece said it took another 40 hours of police time to discover O’Brien’s true identity.

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

But the defendant was then involved in another driving offence on October 21 last year when he was seen driving a van on Bolton Road by an undercover police officer.

During the ensuing chase towards Manchester Road the officer saw a cyclist lying on the road.

Mr Preece said: “The cyclist was not injured but told officers he had to break sharply to avoid a collision.”

O’Brien, who has 36 previous convictions for 92 offences, drove above the speed limit and performed a dangerous handbrake turn to try and get away but was eventually stopped and arrested.

Mr Preece said: “Officers noticed he smelt of intoxicants, his eyes were glazed.”

When asked if he had been stopped by police before, Mr Preece said O’Brien responded: “Many a time, I got nicked in another person’s name, I blew and didn’t even get printed.”

O’Brien eventually pleaded guilty to all his offences in his own name including perverting the course of justice, possession of cannabis and dangerous driving for the November 2021 incident.

For the October 2022 incident, he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while banned, driving without insurance and driving above the legal limit for alcohol.

Elizabeth Acker, defending, argued that O’Brien deserved credit for having pleaded guilty and told the court about his “chaotic” upbringing.

She also pointed out that he had already spent 283 days in custody since been remanded and has shown real remorse for his actions since his arrest.

She said: “Alcohol because the emotional crutch that he relied on to dampen the reality.”

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Judge Tom Gilbart accepted that O’Brien had made progress during his time on remand but reminded the court how the defendant's attempt to use the false name had had serious consequences.

He said: “You sought to cheat the system and then went on to commit further offences.”

He added: “Offences of perverting the course of justice undermine the whole system of justice.”

Judge Gilbart sentenced O’Brien to a total of two year and four months in prison and banned him from driving for 64 months.