A father of two took the police on a chase at speeds of up to 140 km / h – with his young children in the back of his vehicle.
Charlie Daniels was originally stopped by the police on the A20 in Bearsted for driving a vehicle at 44 mph in a 30 mile zone.
Daniels was stopped by the police on the A20 in Bearsted. Image: Google Street View
But prosecutor Victoria Lovett revealed how when a police officer approached the vehicle, Daniels sped away and hit 44 mph in a 30-mile zone.
She told Maidstone Crown Court how Daniels then passed two vehicles on the A20 at 60 mph on the A20 but stayed near a pedestrian crossing but in the middle of the road.
“Other vehicles had to swerve as Daniels drove on residential streets towards Maidstone’s town center, drove over speed bumps, and at one point the officers could see sparks coming from the vehicle when it braked hard,” she added.
The vehicle then skid and “began to regain control” and eventually stopped after he finished the 10-minute chase in which he was driving on the wrong side of the road.
He was eventually stopped and subjected to a breath alcohol test, which was found to be above the alcohol limit with a reading of 41 micrograms of alcohol in 100 milliliters of breath (the limit is 35).
Charlie Daniels was convicted of stocks in Maidstone Crown Court
John Connor, who defended himself, said Daniels had had a drink earlier in the day and decided to drive his sister’s vehicle. He said he came to his senses after the drive and immediately regretted his decision that day in August last year.
Window fitter Daniels, 31, of Tonbridge Road, Maidstone, admitted driving dangerous, drinking excessively and without insurance.
He was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment with two years probation and a two-year driving ban.
Daniels will do 250 hours of unpaid work for the ward and pay £ 340 in court fees.
The judge, Recorder Alice Sims, said to him: “You made a very bad but quick decision to leave quickly.
Window maker Daniels lives on Tonbridge Road in Maidstone. Image: Google Street View
“That was an extremely dangerous driving style for a long time.
“Very disturbingly, when you were stopped you had your sister in the car and your children, ages 10 and 8.
“Nobody was injured, but that was more due to luck and evasive maneuvers of other drivers.”
Click here to read more about our in-depth coverage of all major lawsuits pending in Crown and District Courts across the county.
Information on how we can report on legal proceedings can be found here.
Read more: All the news from Maidstone
