Police were looking out for stolen high value BMW240i

Connor Knight was at the wheel of the BMW 240i, previously reported as stolen, which was spotted by a patrolling police officer between Seaham and Sunderland, on October 27.

Durham Crown Court was told police had been made aware of the theft of the car and were looking out for it, when Knight, the sole occupant, was seen driving it, with no lights illuminated, towards the officer’s marked vehicle in the Ryhope area.

The blue lights on the police car were activated, but Knight turned around and drove off, at speed.

Kelly Sherif, prosecuting, said the BMW reached speeds up to 90-miles per hour on Burdon Road, Ryhope, and the pursuing officer briefly lost sight of it, so support was summoned from the police helicopter.

The BMW was located being driven at excess speed in a residential area in Ryhope, before it collided with a with another vehicle on Doxford Park Way.

Knight was seen getting out of the crashed car and fleeing, but his movements were kept under aerial surveillance as he ran through a wooded area.

Realising it was fruitless to continue to try to evade police, Knight gave up and surrendered himself to police.

Ms Sherif said in interview he made full admissions, telling police that as he knew he was in a stolen vehicle he tried to make off from police when he spotted the marked vehicle.

Knight admitted having driven the BMW at well above the speed limit but finally lost control of the car when he ran out fuel, leading to the collision.

He then tried to make off, but as he ran beneath some trees he was aware he was still being monitored by the officers in the helicopter and so gave up his getaway bid.

The 21-year-old defendant, of Aline Street, Silksworth, Sunderland, admitted charges of dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance, as well as handling stolen goods, the car.

Outlining his antecedent record, Ms Sherif told the court heard he received a ten-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, for dangerous driving and no insurance, in March 2019.

David Callan, for Knight, presented character references to the court on his client’s behalf, outlining he was keeping on the straight and narrow, working on a building site, until, “going off the rails” in more recent times.

Mr Callan said Knight turned to drug taking which led to him building up a debt to dealers.

As a result, he was asked to “do a favour” to those he owed money to, by moving the car.

Having spent two days in custody he was told by then he not only had his drug debt, but he also “owed” £10,000 for the loss of the car.

Since then, both he and his father have had their homes “trashed”, as a punishment.

Mr Callan said this led to a breakdown of Knight’s relationship with his father, while he is likely to lose his job if he is jailed.

“He now realises he’s been a fool,” added Mr Callan.

Imposing a one-year prison sentence, Judge James Adkin told Knight: “ON October 27, last year, you were involved in handling a stolen car, moving it for other criminals.

“A helicopter was tracking your movements, observing you travelling at 90-miles per hour and at high speed through a residential area, before crashing and running off.

“The harm is the risk of injury or death to other road users.

“It was grossly excessive speed and you crashed, causing damage to another car.

“It seems to me the circumstances here demand an immediate sentence, as it was a police chase and in a stolen car.”

Judge Adkin also disqualified Knight from driving for two years.

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