Man jailed for ramming police cars and smashing into level crossing
The crashed car on Victoria Road. - Credit: Nicholas Allison
A banned driver who smashed into a vehicle and rammed two police cars before careering into a level crossing has been jailed for 14 months.
Tommie Pearmain was jailed after a police chase and crash in Oulton Broad, Lowestoft in April.
Appearing at Ipswich Crown Court for sentencing on Monday, Pearmain 24, of Southfield Gardens, Lowestoft, was told by Recorder Richard Atchley that he had shown a massive disregard for other road users.
Ipswich Crown Court - Credit: Archant
He said Pearmain had collided with a car causing around £6,000 damage and had then reversed into two police cars, causing damage to both of them.
Pearmain admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.
In addition to being jailed he was banned for four years and seven months less 80 days he has been in custody.
Joanne Eley, prosecuting, said Pearmain had been banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to take an extended driving retest in February 2019 for aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving.
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An off-duty police officer spotted Pearmain driving a black Renault Clio in Oulton Broad on April 14 and contacted other officers because he knew he did not have a driving licence.
At around 2.20pm Pearmain was seen driving along Normanston Drive by another officer who activated the blue flashing lights on his marked car to indicate he should stop.
Pearmain had indicated left and the officer thought he was going to pull over but he continued driving and turned into Northgate.
With smoke coming out of the vehicle, the tyres were screeching as it “swiped” a car that was driving along Bridge Road towards the roundabout near the Wherry Hotel, causing £6,000 damage.
Miss Eley said the Clio approached the junction of Fir Lane and Evans Drive and drove across two lanes of traffic without braking before crashing into a wooden fence, bushes and a concrete post.
Pearmain then reversed the Clio into the front of a police car before hitting another police car that was trying to stop him from driving off.
Miss Eley said Pearmain had driven at speeds of up to 70mph in a 30mph limit and officers who were pursuing him were told to stop the pursuit because of the danger to members of the public.
Natasha Nair for Pearmain said her client had mental health issues as well as autism, Aspergers and ADHD and regretted his behaviour.
She accepted his driving had been appalling.
