High-speed Sheffield driver who handed himself in after police chase spared from jail
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Sheffield Crown Court heard on November 17 how Nathan Tomlinson, aged 30, of Samuel Road, Norfolk Park, Sheffield, drove at speeds exceeding 50mph, 60mph and 70mph in a VW Golf through residential streets in Sheffield on May 8 as he fled from a police car.
Matthew Burdon, prosecutng, said police followed Tomlinson after they had seen him in the VW Golf on Fox Lane and established the vehicle was registered to a female but he accelerated away.
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Hide AdMr Burdon said: “At the point where the Golf did that was where White Lane meets two other junctions where there is a tram stop and a pedestrian crossing and it’s a dangerous location to perform such a manoeuvre.”
Tomlison accelerated at speeds of 60mph in a 30mph zone and went through a red traffic light before reaching Gleadless Road, Gleadless Bank and Gleadless Avenue, according to Mr Burdon.
Mr Burdon said Tomlinson drove at speeds of 50mph on Gleadless Common and over 70mph on Hurlfield Road before going to East Bank Road as police took a different route but when they tracked the car down it was empty.
Tomlinson contacted police the following day and admitted he was the driver. The defendant, who has previous convictions including manslaughter, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance and failing to stop.
He said he handed himself in out of a guilty conscience.
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Hide AdDoor-fitter Tomlinson added: “When I was younger I have had a bad criminal past but over the years I have tried to sort myself out.”
Judge Peter Kelson QC told Tomlinson: “Having got away you handed yourself into the police and when you were interviewed you admitted what you had done and that is, in the experience of the court, extremely unusual.”
Tomlinson was sentenced to 12 months of custody suspended for two years with a rehabilitation requirement and a Sunday curfew lasting three-months. Tomlinson was disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Judge Kelson praised the police officer for his calmness during the pursuit and members of the public who had helped to direct the officer.