A man who crashed into a bus stop during the ‘world’s slowest police chase’ has avoided prison.
Adam Wrobel pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Friday (14 April).
The 53-year-old was pulled over by a police officer in Queens Drive after they spotted that two tyres were deflated on his swerving BWM X1 at around 1pm on 27 January this year.
Keith Ballinger, prosecuting, said the defendant initially stopped to speak with the officer – who started to issue a traffic offence report for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.
However, when checks revealed that Wrobel should be wearing glasses as a driver and that his black SUV was going to be seized, he turned the engine back on and attempted to flee.
Backup was called into the area as a police pursuit was authorised. He led officers on a one-mile-long chase along Dorcan Way at around 15mph as rubber continued to fly from his tyres.
Mr Ballinger said Wrobel was unable to drive the BMW in a straight line and lumps of rubber were coming off the tyres. In the end, police had to use a stinger to puncture the remaining tyres.
But running on the rims, he continued to try and evade officers – who eventually boxed him in along The Drive. He attempted to break out of the containment, hitting a police vehicle and a bus stop.
Wrobel was, moments later, detained on the ground and taken into custody. In an interview, he told officers he ‘just wanted to get home’ and suggested that his driving was not dangerous as he was moving slowly.
Gordon Hotson, defending, said the pursuit “can only be described as the world’s slowest police chase”. Adding that he had provided Wrobel with some “blunt advice”.
Magistrates imposed a 16-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months. He must complete 25 rehabilitation activity days and 180 hours of unpaid work. He was also given an 18-month driving ban with the additional requirement to take an extended re-test before obtaining his licence back.
The defendant, of Milverton Court, Swindon, was also sentenced for harassing his ex-wife and repeatedly breaking a non-molestation order she’d taken out against him. He was handed an additional eight-week custody to run concurrently alongside the longer dangerous driving sentence.
Wrobel sobbed in the dock as the court heard about the death of both his parents and his best friend in recent years, prompting him to seek support from his former lover.
