A drunk Royal Marine led police on a high-speed pursuit through Chippenham.
Oliver Husband, 31, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop for police and drink driving when he appeared before Swindon Magistrates’ Court this morning (27 September).
Prosecutor Kate Prince said PC Storm Brand was on patrol when he spotted a vehicle in Avenue La Fleche travelling over the speed limit in the early hours of 7 August this year.
He illuminated his police car’s blue lights and sirens in an attempt to stop the car, but it continued – running red lights and reaching speeds of up to 70mph in Spanbourn Avenue, a 30mph zone.
The chase came to an end when the driver, identified as Husband, of Avebury Road, Chippenham, turned into a dead-end road and decamped on foot.
He was arrested and provided a positive breath test. In custody, he blew an evidential reading of 73 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.
Ms Prince said the case was too serious to be dealt with at the magistrates’ court and asked for it to be sent to Swindon Crown Court for sentencing.
Mark Glendenning, defending, said he agreed – adding that his client is a serving Royal Marine and is going to lose his job in due course.
“He has made a stupid mistake, he understands that”, he said.
The case was sent to Swindon Crown Court. Husband was released on unconditional bail to attend a sentencing hearing on 28 October. An interim driving ban was also imposed.
