He already had a huge list of 177 offences under his belt
A panicking driver who was desperate to stop police seizing his car desperately tried to talk his way out of trouble by giving a false name when his vehicle was stopped – before hurriedly driving off. Prolific criminal David Salter and his passenger were determined not to allow the car to be seized by the police so he quickly “put it into gear” and sped off.
He had a huge list of 177 previous offences and had already narrowly avoided prison for a nasty incident in which he sprayed bleach towards a terrified member of staff in a shop, Hull Crown Court heard.
Salter, 41, of Cambridge Grove, east Hull, admitted obstructing police, failing to stop for police, having no insurance and not having the correct driving licence on July 27. He also admitted breaching a 14-month suspended prison sentence imposed on February 21, 2025.
James O’Connor, prosecuting, said that, at about 4.55pm, police saw a blue Peugeot 208 car being driven along and recognised Salter. Checks revealed that he had no driving licence. He had a passenger in the car.
Police illuminated their flashing blue lights and stopped Salter for the first time in Exeter Grove, east Hull. “He gave the details of another person,” said Mr O’Connor. “He was allowed to continue on his way.”
Police made further checks and continued to follow the car at a distance. Salter was stopped for a second time in St John’s Grove after his real identity was confirmed.
He told police that it was a Motability car and he and his passenger made it clear that they would resist any attempts to seize it. “He put the car into gear and drove off,” said Mr O’Connor.
The police lost sight of the car and it was not found until some time later. Salter had convictions for 177 previous offences. His most recent conviction was for administering a noxious substance – bleach – with intent to cause injury and causing damage to items in the shop.
Harry Bradford, mitigating, said that Salter had come off heroin for the first time in his life. “He has managed to stay clear of heroin,” said Mr Bradford. The fear that he might go back to prison had been a “short, sharp shock” to him and had caused him to re-engage with the terms of the suspended sentence. He has suffered problems and was not working.
Salter was fined £100 and he was given an extra two days’ rehabilitation for the latest offences. The previous hearing on February 21, 2025 was told that Salter was in a raging “fury” on October 24, 2024 when he suddenly grabbed a bottle of bleach from a shelf in a shop, “chased” a terrified member of staff and started spraying the bleach towards him.
He carried on squirting the bleach “all over the place” and it caused damage to a large number of items that were for sale in the shop. Some of the bleach splattered all over the man’s shoulder and he at first feared that it had splashed in his face.
The incident happened in the One Stop shop in Marfleet Lane, east Hull, when Salter followed a member of staff around the store. He took a bottle of bleach from a shelf and squirted it towards the man, who slipped on it.
Items of stock, valued at £138, were damaged when Salter sprayed bleach over them. Salter also admitted possessing a knuckle duster as an offensive weapon in a private place and possessing cannabis on October 29, 2024. The knuckle duster that was found in Salter’s possession was a “memento” but it was “illegal”.