A man who tried to speed away from police after they attempted to stop his vehicle in St Albans was jailed for eight months yesterday.
Simon Burte, 46, of Dromey Gardens, Harrow, appeared at St Albans Crown Court on Tuesday, June 6, to face sentence after having been found guilty of dangerous driving and failing to stop.
The incident took place on March 16, 2020. The court heard that Burte was being followed by an unmarked police car in Lattimore Road, when a marked police vehicle drove in front of him, blocking him in.
The Bedfordshire University computer science student then reversed into the police car from behind, causing one officer to jump out of the way, before he then drove off around the block.
Burte then returned to the scene before driving off and jumping two red lights.
He had a previous conviction for dangerous driving in 1996, and in 2009 had been sentenced for drug supply.
He has not reoffended since the incident.
Judge Francis Sheridan described the driving as a “disgraceful”
He told Burte: “You said you thought you were going to be attacked, but it was utterly obvious it was a police car.
“You reversed your top of the range Mercedes into a police car and failed to stop. You drove off round the block and came back to the starting position. What your did or disposed of, I have no idea.
“You came back to the starting position, checked the scene, and took off again and escaped by jumping red lights twice.”
Burte was also banned from driving for 16 months. He must take an extended retest before his licence is returned.
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