Drug-crazed driver David Shatford caused terror on joyride spree
DRUG-CRAZED David Shatford caused terror and mayhem on the roads of Cheltenham when he took a car from outside a pub and went on a joyride.
Nine witnesses made 999 calls as Shatford, 29, drove on the wrong side of the road and hit an oncoming car, mounted pavements, jumped a red light, and collided with signs on a roundabout.
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David Shatford
He also made women and children pedestrians run for their lives, used a supermarket car park as a race circuit, and kept driving even after a tyre came off the Saab he was driving. Shatford, of Union Street, Fairview, Cheltenham, admitted aggravated vehicle taking, driving while banned, having no insurance and two offences of failing to stop on July 22.
He was jailed for 16 months and banned from driving for four years by Judge William Hart, who told him it was "a prolonged, persistent and deliberate course of appalling bad driving".
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Prosecutor Lisa Hennessy said the car owner parked his Saab outside The Hatherley pub, in Hatherley Road, Cheltenham, at 7.30pm and went inside to play cards. Three quarters of an hour later, police began to receive a series of nine 999 calls about the car after Shatford took it from outside the pub and went on his crazy drive.
The first came from Samantha Potter who saw the Saab coming towards her on the wrong side of the road.
"She thought the driver was reaching down for something in the car. He kept on coming even though she was sounding her horn and he collided with her car," she said.
"Another witness, Adam Jones, just watched in disbelief as Shatford then attempted a three-point turn in the road after the collision. It became a seven-point turn and he then drove off. What happened over the next 15 minutes was extraordinary driving."
She said Shatford drove to Asda.
"He failed to negotiate a roundabout and collided with the roadside furniture which was flattened to the ground. He mounted the kerb and went onto a grass bank. He then went into the Asda car park and used it as a racetrack," she said.
He then drove towards the A40 Golden Valley road, left the motorway slip road and returned back along the Golden Valley to Cheltenham. A tyre fell off and he swerved across all lanes then into Princess Elizabeth Way, where he almost ran over a woman pedestrian.
The pedestrian, Rita Jordan, who was with her two grandchildren, said: "I was very frightened."
Comments
by softtabor
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 11:54AM
“I bet this Idiot couldn't believe his luck when he saw he had "Judge" Hart on the bench.
If he's have had a "proper" Judge he'd have got a "proper" sentence!
JUDGE HART.....THE CRIMINALS FAVOURITE JUDGE!!!”
by IsitJimKerr
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 11:42AM
“Yesterday, I wrote this, in response to the very sad story about Laurence Percival.
"This is very sad, and has been said by Laurence's father, all his troubles started with cannabis.
It would be fine tribute if Malcolm could get together with the right departments, and start visiting schools to tell children of the huge dangers of cannabis."
At the last count, there were twelve reds against it, yet I can't see the difference between these two drug induced individuals, yet the one above would apparently be lyched by everyone in the County, discuss............”
by Douglasknows
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 10:28AM
“Lets look on the bright side. Providing they dont allow/provide drugs for him he'll be suffering cold turkey for the next few months, thats the only consolation I can think of.”
by Dr_Hfrrrrr
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 9:38AM
“The only way to stop morons like this from driving would be to cut his hands off. I have an axe in my garage if they want to borrow it? I'll even sharpen it if that helps.”
by Matt1006
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 9:34AM
“Good question, GlosYap2. Have wondered the same myself in relation to driving bans for prisoners.
Re. why ban him when he's ignored previous bans, sadly we've seen many examples over the years of morons who continue to drive after losing their licence. Short of them being locked up or physically prevented from being able to drive, I don't know how you stop somebody who is determined to drive. I think the answer is heavier sentences / fines for banned drivers caught behind the wheel, to persuade them not to do it. Won't stop them all, though. The bloke driving the BMW which crashed into the river in Bristol at the weekend killing one of his passengers had no licence - as he's 33, I'm assuming he was on a ban rather than just never passing his test.
Maybe another answer is that a banned driver is automatically prevented by law from owning any motor vehicle until they've served their ban, with any therefore illegally-owned vehicle confiscated and sold / crushed.
Anyway, this particular moron has been locked up, although he'll be out by next summer, and therefore free to drive again whilst banned. Maybe next time he does it he can drive into some large immovable inanimate object, and spare the rest of us.”
by GlosYap2
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 8:54AM
“This story raises a point for me... In cases like this does the driving ban run consecutive to the jail scentence or concurrently? If concurrently, what would be the point banning someone from driving when they are likely to be in prison when they are banned? Even if it is consecutively is there any point banning someone who has shown they will keep driving if they are already banned?”