Driver’s ‘total disregard to other road users’ will see BMW destroyed

Police are reminding those involved in the anti-social use of vehicles their actions will not be tolerated after a court ordered a vehicle to be forfeited and destroyed.

The order was made after officers from Kent Police’s Roads Policing Unit spotted the vehicle in New Hythe Lane, Aylesford earlier this year. The team were responding to concerns about large gatherings of vehicles in the area.

The vehicle was seen to be drifting on the roundabout in front of a large crowd and was not displaying any registration plates.

Despite the officers’ requests to stop, it did not, and a pursuit through Larkfield then took place.

The vehicle, a BMW, passed through a number of red lights, drove the wrong way around roundabouts and at high speed through residential lanes before colliding with the central reservation on Castle Way.

The driver was arrested and later charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop and using a motor vehicle on a road in a condition likely to cause danger or injury.

At Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday 4 July 2023, the 24-year-old from Essex was handed a 10-month suspended sentence, disqualified from driving for a year and the vehicle is to be destroyed.

Safer Summer

Officers regularly carry out patrols to target those who drive in an anti-social manner and is part of the force’s Safer Summer campaign.

Patrols will regularly visit the location and anyone who is suspected to be causing, or likely to cause, anti-social behaviour will be instructed to leave immediately. Failure to comply with an order given by an officer is an offence that risks arrest.

Should officers come across any offending, they will take proportionate action which, in addition to detaining suspects, could include seizing vehicles.

PC Daniel Goodman said: ‘This driver showed a total disregard to other road users and members of the public, his selfish actions could have had far more serious consequences.

‘This week is also Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week and this case shows that we will do all we can to tackle the issue of anti-social driving.

‘We don’t underestimate the impact behaviour like this has on residents and other road users and I would encourage anyone affected to report all incidents to us via the website.’

Report anti-social behaviour here.