Man jailed for dangerous driving – South Oxfordshire

Following a Thames Valley Police investigation, a man has been jailed for dangerous driving in South Oxfordshire.

Richard Allen, aged 39, of Lyndene Road, Didcot, was sentenced to 10 months in prison at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday 31 August.

He pleaded guilty to one count each of driving a motor vehicle dangerously, failing to co-operate with a preliminary test, failing to stop a mechanically propelled vehicle for police and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

At around 11.15am on 8 August, an officer on foot was conducting an operation in Wallingford when they requested a silver Ford Mondeo being driven by Allen to stop due to its poor condition.

Allen failed to do so and drove off. The officer completed an area search and found the Ford leaving Wallingford, where Allen again failed to stop.

Other officers in an unmarked police car then pursued Allen, who was driving well above the speed limit, from Wallingford towards Henley along the A4130, where a marked police car joined.

The pursuit continued into Henley town centre where Allen drove the wrong way around roundabouts, contravened ‘keep left’ bollards and drove the wrong way down a one way street, where the officers did not follow him and went the correct way around the town.

The officers found the vehicle leaving Henley on Greys Road and brought it to a stop due its dangerous manner of driving and poor condition of the vehicle, which caused it to swerve onto the wrong side of the road many times.

Allen was arrested and charged on the same day.

Investigating officer PC Alex Manderson, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, said: “This conviction demonstrates the seriousness of Richard Allen’s driving, which fell far below that of a competent driver.

“It was clear to see Allen was willing to take needless risks and in doing so put other road users at risk of serious harm by carrying out a dangerous manoeuvre.

“I hope this case shows those who consider or do drive dangerously or do not stop for police that you could put the public at risk and can expect to be brought to justice by us.”

JD