A dangerous driver drove the wrong way on the A55 and A525 and at 100mph on 20mph roads. He was only stopped when his car got stuck in mud on an embankment and a pursuing officer prepared to Taser him.
A judge branded it the worst case of such driving without casualties she had ever seen. She said it was a “miracle” no-one was killed or seriously injured and jailed him for 16 months.
Dale Broome, 29, admitted five driving offences and was jailed at Caernarfon Crown Court for 16 months. Prosecutor Michael Whitty said an off duty detective had been at an event in St Asaph last December 9 and was driving his BMW car on the A55 to his home at 9.30pm. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here
He tried to overtake an HGV but heard cracking sounds and was shunted from behind. It was the defendant – Broome – squeezing his silver Ford Focus car between the HGV and the BMW, the court heard.
The off-duty detective used his training to stay calm and noted the registration plate before reporting it to the force. Two hours later at 11.45pm another police officer spotted the car on Wellington Road in Rhyl.
The officer drove after Broome towards Bodelwyddan as Broome reached 100mph in 20mph zones, the court heard. Eventually in St Asaph the defendant entered the A525 northbound carriageway while travelling south.
The officer drove in the correct direction then saw the Ford Focus near The Talardy Hotel roundabout where he resumed his pursuit. Later the Focus was seen entering the westbound carriageway of the A55 but travelling eastwards.
Finally Broome drove off the A55 near Caerwys. Yet another officer drove after him and when he stopped at an embankment pulled his Taser.
Broome left his vehicle with his hands in the air, said Mr Whitty. He gave a reading of being more than twice the drink drive limit.
“The lack of a serious or fatal collision was down to little more than sheer luck,” added Mr Whitty. Joshua Gorst, defending, said the defendant had panicked and his driving had been “extremely dangerous”.
He understands just how lucky he was that this was not even worse”. Broome later admitted: “I can’t believe I was so stupid. I need to grow up.”
He has a pregnant partner and stepchildren and a job as a ground worker lined up. But the judge Her Honour Nicola Jones told the defendant: “It’s quite frankly a miracle that no-one was seriously injured or killed as a result of your actions that night.
“This is the worst example of dangerous driving I have ever seen which has not resulted in death or serious injury.”
She jailed Broome, of Uplands Avenue, Portobello, Wolverhampton, for 16 months for dangerous driving. There were also two, four-month jail terms for driving whilst disqualified and failing to stop both to run concurrently to the main sentence.
He also admitted driving with excess alcohol and driving with no insurance but there were no separate penalties for those offences. Broom was banned from driving for four years and eight months and must pass an extended retest.
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