NHS worker high on cannabis avoids jail after writing off another car in police chase
An NHS IT worker who tried to evade police while high on cannabis in a high speed pursuit that ended when he wrote off another car, has been spared jail.
Christopher Watters, aged 23, led police on a two-mile chase in Wellington, Telford, in his dark Volkswagen Golf GTI and was travelling at more than double the speed limit when he overtook cars on residential roads in the afternoon of January 17 last year, a court heard.
Watters, of Shellduck Drive, Apley, Telford, had admitted dangerous driving at a previous hearing when he appeared for sentence at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Friday.
Mr Kevin Jones, prosecuting, told the court that police officers made the "investigative decision" to follow Watters hatchback when they spotted him in Wellington at around 4pm and they followed the Golf for a short distance before switching on the blue lights on their patrol car.
"It was a clear instruction to stop and the vehicle failed to stop then proceeded to drive dangerously," said Mr Jones.
He said that Watters proceeded to speed away from police, who recorded the pursuit on dashcam footage. The court saw how Watters' Golf was speeding through a 30mph residential road at 70mph.
"There were multiple overtakes and oncoming traffic had to take evasive action, either to stop or pull over to side," said Mr Jones.
