Teenager jailed for tractor chase

A teenage Devon farm worker who drove a tractor for nearly an hour at a speed of 12mph with police in pursuit has been jailed for six months.

Gareth Legge, 18, of Allercombe Farm, Rattery, was drunk while driving the vehicle and reversed it at officers.

Stingers were used to puncture tyres, but failed three times during the chase on the A38 last November.

At Plymouth Crown Court he admitted driving while banned, driving with excess alcohol and dangerous driving.

Jack-knifed trailer

Legge took his employer's tractor and trailer from the farm at about 2215 GMT on 26 November and drove along the A38 dual carriageway.

He was spotted by police when they saw him driving without lights.

When he failed to stop for them, they started to follow him.

Legge, who also admitted taking a vehicle, was followed at 12mph (19km/h) by a police convey which included a helicopter and several cars.

He twice reversed towards the chasing officers, but was forced to stop when the trailer jack-knifed.

Later he drove at police who were trying to redirect traffic.

Driving ban

The tractor eventually came to a halt near the town of Newton Abbot.

Sentencing him at Plymouth Crown Court, Recorder Martin Meeke QC said: "You are not yet 18-and-a-half-years-old, and despite that fact this is your 13th appearance before the court.

"The courts have dealt with you leniently - it seems to me you think you can offend as you choose and with impunity, you can't.

In mitigation, Kevin Hopper, defending, said: "Because of the nature of what he was driving, it wasn't high speed.

"It is clear that he was a danger to other road users. But, thankfully, no-one was put at risk."

Legge was also banned from driving for three years and his licence was endorsed with six points.