WATCH: Police release dramatic footage of moment they brought dangerous chase to a halt - The Rugby Observer

WATCH: Police release dramatic footage of moment they brought dangerous chase to a halt

Rugby Editorial 17th Feb, 2021   0

DRAMATIC footage has been released of the moment police caught a Bitteswell man who had led them on a dangerous chase which began in Rugby.

The video shows the moment disqualified driver Roman John Francis, 34, of Mere Road, Bitteswell, near Lutterworth was tactically pursued and contained by officers on the M40 in Warwickshire.

The incident started when Francis took a white VW Golf from a storage yard in Lutterworth without the owner’s permission sometime between Friday January 9 and Sunday January 10.

The white VW Golf failed to stop for police in the Rugby area and a marker was placed on the vehicle.




At just after 6am on Sunday January 10, the Golf was seen by a marked police car on the M40 Junction 15 and officers began to follow it.

As the Golf rejoined the M40 motorway northbound, Francis failed to stop again and drove dangerously, reaching speeds of over 140 mph on the motorway in foggy conditions.


The vehicle was followed into the West Mercia Police area where it was tactically pursued and contained. Francis was the sole occupant of the vehicle. When breathalysed, he was found to be over twice the legal drink-drive limit.

At Warwick Crown Court on February 8, Francis was sentenced to a total of 28 months imprisonment for dangerous driving, drink driving, driving while disqualified, and aggravated vehicle taking. He was also banned from driving for six years and two months and ordered to pay a £190 victim surcharge.

Sgt Tim Ivers of Warwickshire Police said: “The actions of Francis not only put his own life in danger but the lives of innocent road users. Fortunately no one was injured.

“However, the sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences and the potential serious harm that could have been caused.”

Visit https://youtu.be/AfHPuDy8MKk or see above to watch the video, which contains flashing images.

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