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10
Jan
Man reached 70mph in 30mph zone during Harrogate police chase
A Harrogate man drove at more than double the speed limit during a police pursuit around the town.
Ryley Donnelly, 20, appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Thursday (January 8) charged with four offences: dangerous driving; driving without insurance; driving without a licence and failing to provide a specimen for analysis as a driver.
He admitted all the charges.
Sarah Tyrer, prosecuting, told the court concerns over someone's manner of driving around the centre of Harrogate were raised with police at around 2am on May 22, 2025.
A second report then came through to officers, which said it was believed the driver of the car – later found to be Donnelly – was drunk at the time.
Another person also told police they believed the car had been involved in a hit-and-run, and said a female was “lying in the road”.
Ms Tyrer said there was no evidence of a hit-and-run.
An officer in the Mayfield Grove area soon saw a car matching the description of the vehicle being driven by Donnelly.
The officer followed the car and indicated for it to stop, but Donnelly ignored the officer and continued to drive in a dangerous manner.
Ms Tyrer said:
[Named police officer] is allowed to pursue the defendant, who was travelling at 70mph in 30mph [zones] along East Parade and Knaresborough Road.
The officer caught up with Donnelly, who veered into the other lane as he was driving before reaching 40mph on Stanhope Drive, a 20mph zone.
When Donnelly reached Walworth Avenue, he reversed into a stationary car - one of four cars he damaged that night.
The defendant, of St Andrews Street in Harrogate, stopped and got out of the driver’s side of the car. Two other occupants also got out of the car.
All the occupants ran away and a police chase ensued, but Donnelly was eventually found hiding in a bush.
One of the occupants, a female, was found nearby. Ms Tyrer said she and Donnelly had been seen together on CCTV at Harrogate McDonald’s earlier that evening.
Ms Tyrer told the magistrates:
The car was forensically analysed as the defendant told police he was not connected to the vehicle. However, his DNA was found on the driver’s controls in the car.
When police asked Donnelly to provide a breath sample, he refused, and it was later established he did not hold a driving licence nor was he insured to drive the car.
Chris McGrogan, defending, did not provide any mitigation during the hearing.
He said there are “a number of issues that plague this young man, and the probation service should be involved in any case.”
The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
Donnelly, who was banned from driving in the interim, will return to Harrogate Magistrates Court on March 27 for sentence.
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