Kirkby youth 'put his foot down' in police chase through King’s Mill car parks

Police saw Jamie Clipston's blue Ford Focus was uninsured and and signalled for him to pull over on Carsic Lane, Sutton, at 6pm on July 1, last year, said prosecutor Rebecca Coleman.

But Clipston, who was 19 at the time, accelerated sharply and reached speeds of 50mph in a 30mph zone, driving in the centre of the road, over speed bumps and overtaking numerous vehicles. He ran two red lights and reached 70mph on King's Mill Road East.

With smoke pouring from his tyres, Clipston drove into the hospital car park – which is a heavily-pedestrianised area – before returning to Mansfield Road.

He drove over a grassed area on Unwin Road and ran red lights at the junction with the A38 – a ‘particularly dangerous manoeuvre’ that forced traffic on the dual carriageway to take evasive action.

Clipston eventually surrendered on Hamilton Road, on Oakham Business Park, where officers discovered he had no licence or insurance – and two of his tyres defective.

Matthew Hayes, mitigating, told Nottingham Crown Court that Clipston, who has no previous convictions, was travelling to visit his father who was very poorly with kidney failure.

He bought the car for £100 a few weeks earlier and had been sleeping in it because he was homeless after his father went into hospital.

When ordered to stop he ‘panicked’ and ‘made the situation ten times worse’, Mr Hayes said.

"He accepts his behaviour was down to his own stupidity and lack of maturity. Fortunately there were no collisions.”

Tragically, Clipston's father died five months later.

He is now working and expecting a child with his partner in April.

Clipston, now 20, of Rowan Drive, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance or a licence at a previous magistrates court hearing.

Judge Shaun Smith QC said: "You decided instead of getting out and saying ‘fair cop’ you put your foot down.”

He sentenced him to 10 months in prison, but suspended it for two years because of his age and previous good character.

He ordered Clipston to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work with 15 rehabilitation days, and banned him for 12 months.

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