Sheffield Crown Court: Banned motorist who sparked police chase was detained by officer with stun gun

Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 27 how Kieran Clayton, aged 26, of Queen Street, Dinnington, Rotherham, was spotted driving a Ford Transit van at speed but as he was pursued he failed to stop and a chase unfolded.

Laura Marshall, prosecuting, said: “On February 10 officers were on duty in a marked police vehicle conducting patrols in the Anston area.”

Ms Marshall added police spotted the van on Nursery Road, Dinnington, and after he failed to stop the defendant overtook other vehicles and reached speeds of 80mph in 30mph and 40mph zones.

Clayton took corners at speed and when he was forced to slow down in a queue of traffic on Penny Piece Lane, North Anston, he veered onto a grass verge and collided with the wing mirror of a Volvo vehicle, according to Ms Marshall.

Ms Marshall said Clayton went on to drive under a railway bridge at Mill Lane before stopping and running into a grassed area.

A police officer produced a Taser and gave instructions for Clayton to stay where he was until more officers arrived and he was arrested, according to Ms Marshall.

Ms Marshall said Clayton was also found to have alcohol in his system but he registered just below the legal limit.

The court heard Clayton has previous convictions including two dangerous driving offences and eight offences of driving while disqualified.

Following the police pursuit, Clayton pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, failing to stop and driving without insurance.

Richard Adams, defending, said Clayton’s mother died some years ago and his grandparents who helped to raise him died recently and he had fallen into a “self-destruct mode”.

He added: “On this particular occasion, on February 10, he broke that cycle and returned home and regrets his actions and his inability to cope with strong emotions.”

Judge Graham Reeds QC told Clayton: “You had been drinking and tried to evade police and caused damage to a car.”

He sentenced Clayton to 10 months of custody and disqualified him from driving for three years and five months.