Peterborough drug driver jailed after high speed pursuit through city

Cameron Wallis, 20, was driving a blue Ford Focus in Peterborough on the afternoon of Saturday, 8 August.

He came to the attention of an officer in an unmarked car at about 4.05pm when an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) alert signified the vehicle was uninsured, untaxed and the MOT had expired.

The officer activated their blue lights and signalled for Wallis to pull over. However, he failed to stop and a pursuit began.

Wallis drove round the Millfield area for more than ten minutes, at high speeds and through multiple red traffic lights in an attempt to avoid getting caught.

However, when he left Highbury Street, at the junction with Lincoln Road, Wallis crashed into a separate marked police car, causing significant damage.

While attempting to make off, he then collided with a second marked police car before driving off northwards on Lincoln Road.

The unmarked police car continued to pursue Wallis for a short while until he managed to get away.

Police inquiries continued and a search of the area located the Ford Focus abandoned at a garage in St Pauls Road at about 4.35pm.

House to house enquiries in the area identified Wallis as the driver of the car and his address as nearby on the same road.

Officers immediately attended his home and found Wallis in the upstairs bathroom in the process of shaving his hair off.

The key to the Ford Focus was also found in the bathroom with Wallis and he was arrested at the scene.

He provided a blood sample in custody which showed he had cannabis in his system.

Further inquiries identified eye witnesses who saw a man matching Wallis’ description leave the car at the garage after the pursuit.

Wallis later pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving without a licence, driving without insurance and drug driving.

He was sentenced to 14 months in a Young Offender Institution and disqualified from driving for 31 months at Peterborough Crown Court on Thursday (1 October).

PC Anthea Heap said: “Wallis’ dangerous driving caused significant damage to two police cars and resulted in four officers needing treatment from paramedics.

“His actions while attempting to evade police put the lives of all road users in the area at risk and it’s sheer luck that no one was seriously injured as a result.

“However, thanks to fast time police enquiries, he was quickly identified and detained and I hope this sentence highlights our commitment to keeping our roads safe by bringing dangerous motorists to justice.”