VIDEO: Peterborough drug driver jailed after being caught - again

George Bellamy, 21, of Vicarage Farm Road, Peterborough, was first spotted in Northamptonshire in June 2018 and a police pursuit began involving the NPAS police helicopter.

Bellamy drove dangerously at speeds of almost 130mph, but his high-speed bid to escape police went disastrously wrong when he crashed into a barrier in Peterborough.

He was arrested and released on bail, but then went on to drive under the influence of drugs in November 2018. Bellamy was handed 12 months in a young offenders’ institution in April last year for the offences.

However, he was released and caught the attention of police again earlier this year.

Officers were on patrol at 5.30pm on 14 March when they stopped a Renault Captiva on Park Road, Peterborough, to verify the driver and check the vehicle documents.

The driver was Bellamy, who admitted being disqualified from driving until October next year. Officers also smelt cannabis on his breath and clothes, and noted Bellamy had slurred speech and a “glazed” look on his face.

Bellamy failed a roadside drug test and was arrested. He was released under investigation pending blood test results which later revealed Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol – the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis – in his system.

Less than two weeks later, on the morning of 25 March, officers spotted Bellamy again after pulling over a Ford Mondeo while on routine patrols in Eastfield Road, Peterborough.

The car was being driven erratically and was in a poor state of repair. Officers spoke to the driver of the car, who identified himself as Bellamy and admitted he was both uninsured and disqualified from driving.

Bellamy was interviewed at the scene. He was later served postal requisitions after the two above incidents charging him with drug driving, two counts of driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance. He was also found to have breached a suspended sentence order.

He pleaded guilty to the offences during a previous hearing and was sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court on Tuesday (6 October), where he was handed 36 weeks in prison. He was also disqualified from driving for three years and 18 weeks.

PC Paul Hodgson said: “Bellamy clearly didn’t learn his lesson after being sentenced last year and continued to ignore the rules of the road and the driving ban imposed on him.

“Driving under the influence of drink or drugs is one of the fatal four causes of collisions on our roads, together with not wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone behind the wheel and speeding.

“The sentence imposed highlights the consequences of drug driving, but also breaching a suspended prison sentence.”

If you wish to report drink or drug driving, the force operates a dedicated, confidential hotline for members of the public to call and report those driving under the influence.

The hotline - 0800 032 0845 - is available 24/7, and gives you the opportunity to supply police with information to help reduce the number of drink drivers on our roads.

For more information about drug driving, the law and the dangers it can cause, visit www.cambs.police.uk/drinkdrugdriving