Police brought stolen car to shuddering halt in Hartlepool

Robert Hayton was spotted by police as he drove around Hartlepool 12 hours after the car was stolen, after the owner had their keys taken from a Yarm pub.

The 36-year-old clipped a police car and raced around residential streets in a desperate attempt to shake off his pursuers, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Lucy Todd, prosecuting, said Hayton reached speeds in excess of 60 mph in 30mph zones and regularly went head-on with oncoming traffic to avoid arrest, even leaving the road at one point and going around a roundabout the wrong way.

“A stinger was deployed, causing a deflation of one of the tyres, causing it to slow down,” she said. “A police vehicle overtook the defendant and blocked its path but he has collided with the vehicle causing damage.

“The police vehicle prevented the car from passing and caused it to stop in some bushes.”

Miss Todd said a breathalyser test was carried out and the defendant was found to be over the drink-drive limit.

Robert Hayton (Image: Cleveland Police)

Hayton, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol, driving without insurance, driving without a licence and a bail act offence.

Kelly Clarke, mitigating, said her client was on a ‘perpetual wheel’ that he doesn’t seem able to get off.

She added: “His offending behaviour appears to be influenced by the fact that he consumes way too much alcohol and misuses drugs.”

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Judge Nathan Adams sentenced Hayton to 19 months in custody and banned him from driving for three years and nine months.

He said: “There was a high-speed police chase through residential areas involving multiple police vehicles and your utter unwillingness to stop or to have any regard to risk you were posing to other motorists or pedestrians.

“You were going at double the speed limit at times, you were swerving all over the road and there were members of the public who had to get out of your way.”