Jail for man who led police on two 100mph chases and crashed three times

Evan Edwards, 49, was sentenced to 26 months in prison at Shrewsbury Crown Court for a number of dangerous displays of driving.

In three separate incidents Edwards flipped a car into a field near Ludlow before giving a false name to police, led officers on a chase around Telford on a motorbike before smashing into a tractor and, while on bail for that, led police on another chase where he hit speeds of 110mph, before crashing into an officer's car and the gate of a house.

Edwards was first disqualified in 1989 and has been banned from driving for 28 of the last 30 years.

Prosecutor John Oates outlined his most recent offences, beginning with the time he rolled a black Renault into a field off the B4367 near Clungunford on September 6, 2016.

He said: "When police officers arrived they found the car on its roof. He was uninjured. He gave a number of false names to officers. It was later found that he was serving a disqualification."

Then, on April 18 last year, Edwards was followed by police while on a black Suzuki motorbike in Malinslee, Telford. Officers observed him speed up to get away from them, so they followed him in hot pursuit.

He was hitting speeds of more than 100mph, was doing 60mph in 30mph zones and was seen going the wrong way round the Jiggers Bank island in Ironbridge in a chase that went through Dawley, Horsehay and eventually onto the A4169 towards Much Wenlock.

Edwards only stopped when he crashed into the trailer of a turning tractor and was arrested by police.

While on bail after that incident, Edwards repeated the trick, this time while behind the wheel of a Toyota Rav 4. On October 17 last year he was spotted by an eagle-eyed officer who knew he was disqualified and a pursuit began on the A460 near Donnington, Telford. It continued along the A4169 towards Much Wenlock - the scene of his motorbike crash - then on through Brockton and Shipton villages and along Corvedale Road. He was hitting speeds of 110mph before police released the stinger to burst his tyres on the B4368 near Craven Arms.

He crashed into the gate of a house and two police cars moved to block him in, but he smashed his car into one of them to try and get away. An officer attempted to Taser him but it failed, prompting Edwards to try and escape on foot. Officers soon caught up with him and arrested him.

Edwards, of Princes End, Dawley Bank, Telford, pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving, two counts of driving while disqualified, two counts of driving without insurance and one count of perverting the course of justice.

Debra White, defending, said Edwards had gone "off the rails" as a 15-year-old when his dad died, and said he had a tough time in custody.

Judge Peter Barrie told Edwards: "Giving false information to escape responsibility is something which is always treated seriously by the courts. They were very long, high-speed chases. You drove at extremely dangerous speeds."

He jailed Edwards and disqualified him from driving for three years. Edwards will also have to sit an extended test if he wants his license back.

Superintendent James Baker said: “The sentencing today represents the seriousness of the offences committed by Edwards and his recklessness and total disregard for the safety of the public and that of my officers.”