Theft fear led TNS football boss to drive at 91mph
The managing director of Shropshire football club The New Saints FC sped away from an unmarked police car at 91mph because he feared it was being driven by burglars who were following him home.
Mike Harris, 49, the former owner of telecommunications business Total Network Solutions, panicked as he sped along the A483 between Arddleen and Welshpool on January 31 last year when the car followed him for 11 miles.
Harris, of Middletown, near Welshpool, told Welshpool Magistrates' Court yesterday, that The New Saints' home ground The Venue in Oswestry had been targeted by professional burglars twice in December 2011.
He said he left The Venue at 9.50pm and was driving home through Llanymynech when a car began following him, causing him to believe it carried burglars.
Harris admitted a charge of driving at 91.88mph in a 60mph zone at an earlier hearing, but appeared at the court yesterday for a special reasons hearing.
Magistrates agreed he had special reasons for driving at the speed and gave him three points on his licence, a £350 fine and ordered him to pay £60 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
Mr Peter Swanson, chairman of the bench, said: "We understand that The Venue had been targeted by professional thieves twice in the weeks leading up to this offence.
"On one occasion they managed to get cash from the safe and IT equipment. The second time they failed, but staff were worried about their safety and the culprits have never been caught.
"Because of this, you had been there helping the workers at locking-up time and we believe that when you were driving home that night the incidents had created a mindset for you and you believed that when you were being followed by this car and that you feared it was the burglars.
"You checked to see if it was the police and it wasn't – although it was unknown to you that it was in fact an unmarked car. You then tried to speed to see if the car would pull you over and it would be the police, but instead it carried on following for 11 miles before finally pulling you over.
"The only thing that troubles us is that when you were finally pulled over you didn't tell the police you thought they were the burglars."
Harris said the reason he never told the police his fears was because 'Mr Nasty Cop gave me a dressing down and I didn't want to anger him'.
