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30
Mar
Man who reached 70mph in 30mph zone during Harrogate police chase sentenced
A Harrogate man who drove at more than double the speed limit during a police pursuit around town has been sentenced.
Ryley Donnelly, 21, appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Friday(March 27) after admitting a string of driving offences.
Donnelly pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance, driving without a licence, failing to stop at the request of a constable and failing to provide a specimen for analysis as a driver.
Georgina Fishwick, prosecuting, told the court that the offences dated back to the early hours of May 22 last year.
She told the court that police were made aware of a “number of reports” from members of the public about the manner of someone’s driving in the centre of town.
Ms Fishwick said Donnelly, who was the driver of the car, had drove into a wall and a number of parked cars at around 2am.
He also reached speeds of 70mph along East Parade and Knaresborough Road and failed to stop when indicated to do so by a police officer.
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.
Harrogate Magistrates Court.
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.
Donnolley refused to provide a breath sample and it was later established he did not hold a driving licence nor was he insured to drive the car.
Ms Fishwick added that the damage to the wall was estimated to cost between £1,500 and £2,000. But no cost was provided for the damaged cars.
She added that the offences crossed the custody threshold as Donnelly had “made a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road”.
‘Thrill seeking’
Andrew Tinning, defending, said that the police pursuit was “mercifully brief”, but added that no other drivers had to take evasive action.
He said:
It’s in the early hours of the morning. It is not a situation where anybody has to take evasive action, but I accept that that may be about luck.
Mr Tinning added that the offences were down to “immaturity” and “thrill seeking”.
He said that Donnelly also had “various issues” over neurodiversity and learning difficulties.
Mr Tinning said:
It was thrill seeking behaviour and he was not thinking about the consequences of his actions.
The court heard that Donnelly had recently started to attend the Building Choices programme, which is an accredited cognitive-behavioural scheme designed to reduce reoffending.
Mr Tinning said Donnelly was also working as a window cleaner for work experience on a weekly basis.
He requested that the court step back from a custodial sentence in order to give the 21-year-old a “chance of working with those people in the community”.
The chair of the magistrates told the court that “substantial mitigation” had been given in Donnelly’s defence.
He said:
It would not be in the public interest to sever the links that are so critical for you continuing on that road.
Magistrates sentenced Donnelly to a 24-month community order, which includes 20 rehabilitation activity days and an 80-day alcohol abstinence requirement.
He was also banned from driving for two-years and ordered to take an extended retest at the end of his ban.
Donnelly was also ordered to pay a £114 victims’ surcharge and court costs of £85.
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