Judge told him: “You were driving round Hull like a loony”
A panicking driver foolishly thought that he “could outrun the police” in his Audi Q7 and hurtled around streets “like a loony” during a hair-raising high-speed chase just before midnight. Ex-soldier Dean Kane reached frightening speeds of 100mph and drove recklessly over speed bumps and through red traffic lights before disaster struck when he suddenly crashed into a bus that he tried to squeeze past.
He quickly got out and ran off after the crash before finally “coming to his senses” when he realised to his horror that he was about to be set on by a police dog, Hull Crown Court heard. Kane, 30, of Blaycourt, Orchard Park estate, north Hull, admitted dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, having no insurance and driving with only a provisional licence on June 10.
The court heard that police on duty at 11.44pm tried to stop a silver Audi Q7 and activated their blue flashing lights in Sutton Road, Hull, but the driver – Kane – failed to stop and accelerated away at speeds of 100mph. He headed through red traffic lights during the chase.
The pursuit included Holwell Road at 80mph, where he slightly lost control and went onto a grass verge, as well as Nidderdale, Littondale, Ennerdale, where the car hurtled over speed bumps, and Bude Road, Cheltenham Avenue and back to Littondale. The chase came to an end when Kane tried to squeeze the car past a bus but did not manage to do so and hit the bus, causing damage.
There were no passengers on the bus at the time. Kane tried to run off but stopped after seeing a police dog.
During police interview, Kane admitted that his actions were stupid and reckless. The bus driver later said that it should have been a “simple end” to his working shift but he was left with an injury to his arm.
Connor Stuart, mitigating, said that Kane made full admissions during police interview and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. He had no previous convictions.
“It was by luck rather than design that someone wasn’t more seriously injured,” said Mr Stuart. “He is deeply ashamed of it. He has expressed remorse.
“He was learning to drive at the time. He had a provisional licence.” Kane was upset at the time because his relationship with his girlfriend ended a couple of days earlier. She called the police to tell them that he was driving, claimed Mr Stuart.
Kane had a military background and served as a rifleman in the army at Catterick, North Yorkshire. He was in the army for a number of years before being “invalided out” and he was now on Universal Credit.
“He hopes to set up his own business, having done previously a roofing one,” said Mr Stuart. Kane had a seven-year-old daughter.
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Judge Mark Bury told Kane: “Whatever the state of your emotional turmoil was then, you should not have been driving, at least not without supervision. If you had simply pulled over when the officers first asked you to, you would have been in some trouble but not that which you are in now.”
Kane decided with “complete idiocy” that he “could outrun the police” – even though he was driving an Audi Q7. “Anyway, it turned out that you couldn’t,” said Judge Bury.
The car hit the kerb twice, nearly causing the Audi to tip over, and Kane tried to “sneak past” a bus. He could not do so and hit the bus. “Even then, you didn’t stop,” said Judge Bury. “You ran off, only coming to your senses when you saw a police dog. It was highly dangerous driving. Damage was caused to two vehicles in the end.
“It could have been worse. You are lucky that it was the time of day that it was and there weren’t pedestrians about.
“You were honest enough to admit that what you did was wrong. That may be because you have a military background. This really was appalling driving. You were driving round Hull like a loony.
“I think you have learned a lesson. I hope so. I suspect you have got more to offer society than this. You have got to prove it now.”
Kane was given a 10-month suspended prison sentence, 180 hours’ unpaid work and 20 days’ rehabilitation. He was banned from driving for two years.