Ban for L-driver chased by police

A learner driver from Coventry was chased by police through the City of London at 100mph, a court has heard.

Alexander Cringles, of Coombe Avenue, went through red lights and give-way junctions without stopping, and drove the wrong way down one-way streets.

Cringles, 20, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving while disqualified on Easter Monday 2004, was banned from driving for three years.

Judge Peter Beaumont said he had acted "wholly irresponsibly".

'Posed continual threat'

The court was told that if it had not been Easter Monday the area would have been full of City workers.

Warehouseman Cringles had been disqualified from driving four months earlier, in January 2004, and had never held a full licence.

The court heard how he had taken over the wheel of the car from a woman driver after she felt unwell and had panicked when he was challenged by police.

The Peugeot 406 crashed into vehicles in traffic in Holborn Circus, in the City of London, and mounted the pavement in Gresham Street.

The car was picked up by the many CCTV cameras which guard the financial centre's "ring of steel" from terrorist attack.

Prosecutor Adina Ezekiel told the Old Bailey in London: "The high-speed chase covered several miles through the city.

You have got to grow up Judge Peter Beaumont

"He reached speeds of 100mph, ignored no-entry signs, went the wrong way down one-way streets and didn't stop at any red traffic sign.

"He posed a continual threat to pedestrians and other traffic."

The police vehicle chasing him had a puncture but a second car took over and officers arrested Cringles when he abandoned the car and tried to run off.

The defendant wrote a letter of apology to Recorder of London Peter Beaumont saying he realised he was lucky no-one had been killed.

Judge Beaumont told him: "You have got to grow up."

Cringles was also made subject to a community punishment and rehabilitation order for two years.