A drug driver hit speeds of up to 90mph on tram lines, went through red lights, and on the wrong side of the road while overtaking as he fled from police.
A member of Nottinghamshire Police’s armed policing team was heading along the A453 towards Clifton, in an unmarked vehicle, when he was overtaken by an Audi A6 driven by Laurence Honeyman-Smith.
The 27-year-old was travelling at around 60mph in a 40mph zone and continued to accelerate up to 70mph as he approached a roundabout junction.
The officer illuminated his blue lights and sirens and indicated for Honeyman-Smith to pull over but instead he accelerated through a 30mph limit built-up housing estate in an attempt to evade capture.
He drove over speed humps at around 70mph and squeezed through tight gaps between other vehicles, narrowly avoiding collisions.
He also drove the wrong way around a roundabout, went straight through a red light at a crossroad junction, and swerved in and out of traffic at speed.
The pursuit, which began at 7.26pm on 22 June 2023, was brought to a safe conclusion after Honeyman-Smith came to a stop in a cul-de-sac, his vehicle was blocked in by the officer, and he was arrested.
A roadside drugs wipe also showed he was over the limit for cannabis which he had been smoking earlier.
Honeyman-Smith, of Grays, Thurrock, Essex, was subsequently charged and he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and drug driving.
Analysis of blood samples showed he had 3.7 micrograms of cannabis in his system – the legal limit is two micrograms.
Honeyman-Smith was handed a 10-month prison sentence when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday (16 July 2024).
He was also banned from driving for four-and-a-half years.
A Nottinghamshire Police spokesperson said: “Honeyman-Smith showed absolutely no regard for anyone’s safety, including his own, by driving in such a dangerous manner.
“As the court heard, it was only due to sheer good fortune that no-one was injured, or even worse killed, as a result of his high-risk actions.
“Dangerous driving and drug driving will not be tolerated and, as a force, we continue to crack down on motorists who risk innocent lives as well as their own on our roads.”
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