A 22-year-old motorcyclist from Beeston has avoided immediate imprisonment after leading officers on a reckless pursuit through two Nottingham districts. Nottingham Crown Court was told Romeo Clutterbuck had been travelling at speeds reaching 80mph in residential areas with 30mph restrictions while performing hand signals at the patrol vehicle behind him.
The defendant disregarded police attempts to stop him and instead accelerated away, with the chase continuing through Strelley and Bilborough. The court heard he crossed into oncoming traffic, passed other vehicles unsafely, exceeded speed limits significantly and ignored traffic signals during the pursuit.
The presiding judge indicated that had the man’s dangerous driving resulted in a fatality, a custodial term of at least a decade would have been inevitable. The defendant would face considerable difficulty coping with prison conditions given his personal circumstances. However, the court opted to offer him an opportunity to demonstrate he can stay out of trouble over the coming two years.
Passing a suspended sentence of 13 months, the judge remarked that while chronologically 22, the defendant had displayed immature behaviour befitting someone much younger. He had operated a powerful machine in a manner that endangered both himself and other road users, particularly when drawing attention to himself by signalling officers as though their pursuit were unjustified. A single error in judgement at any of the traffic lights encountered could have resulted in catastrophic injury or death. The fact that no-one suffered harm was fortunate, though any serious casualty would have brought a substantially longer jail term. Life behind bars would prove particularly challenging for this individual.
The court was informed a patrol officer noticed the motorbike in Strelley during the morning of May 1 last year. The officer observed the rear number plate had been tampered with in a manner suggesting an attempt to evade identification, prompting him to signal for the rider to stop. The defendant declined and accelerated away. During the subsequent pursuit, he overtook a large goods vehicle into opposing traffic, travelled at 70mph where 40mph was permitted, proceeded through red lights and reached approximately 80mph in a 30mph zone while the officer struggled to keep pace. Throughout this period, the defendant gestured towards the police car.
Officers eventually lost sight of the machine, though checks revealed it belonged to the unemployed defendant. He was subsequently apprehended at his Longlands Road residence. He admitted guilt to dangerous driving and operating a vehicle without a valid licence.
His barrister told the court the defendant now recognises the potential consequences of his actions and their effect on others. In the twelve months since the incident, there had been no further police contact. Defence counsel explained the defendant experienced significant worry about the possibility of immediate detention, citing concerns about his dog needing rehoming and loss of his accommodation. However, counsel acknowledged full responsibility rested with his client.
Alongside the suspended sentence, the defendant must complete 25 rehabilitation activity sessions and will be prohibited from driving for a period of 18 months.