Why it matters: Gazza Vinyard, of no fixed address, drove the wrong way down the A12 towards oncoming traffic during a police pursuit, putting other motorists at serious risk of harm or death.
The details: Vinyard appeared before Ipswich Magistrates' Court on Friday, 17 October, where he was sentenced to 52 weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 24 months. He pleaded guilty to six offences in total.
Five of these were motoring offences all occurring on 9 September:
Dangerous driving
Failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis
Failing to stop for police
Driving without insurance
Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence
The sixth charge was stalking causing serious alarm or distress, occurring over a 10-week period from 30 June. This involved him repeatedly driving past the victim's home address, calling, texting and messaging her, and following her.
What happened: At around 22:00 on Tuesday, 9 September, officers from the Roads and Armed Policing Team on patrol in Ipswich encountered a Volkswagen Golf on Felixstowe Road that had failed to stop for officers earlier in the day.
Officers believed the vehicle was being driven by Vinyard, who was wanted for domestic-related stalking offences. On sighting the police, Vinyard immediately failed to stop, at which point officers engaged in an authorised pursuit.
During the chase, Vinyard drove dangerously, undertaking high-risk manoeuvres. The pursuit continued onto the A12 at Foxhall, where Vinyard deliberately drove the wrong way down the carriageway towards oncoming traffic.
A police officer utilised tactical contact to terminate the pursuit before Vinyard reached the oncoming vehicles. PC Ives and PC Norris chased Vinyard on foot before apprehending and arresting him.
Vinyard was charged on Wednesday, 10 September, and made his first court appearance the following day.
The sentence: Vinyard received two separate 26-week prison sentences for the stalking and dangerous driving offences. These sentences will run consecutively, meaning a total of 52 weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 24 months. This means he will not go to prison immediately, but faces immediate imprisonment if he breaches the terms of his suspended sentence during the two-year supervision period.
He was disqualified from driving for 24 months for the dangerous driving and given a concurrent 24-month ban for failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis. He will have to take an extended re-test.
In addition to the suspended prison sentence for the stalking offence, he was ordered to complete 26 sessions of an accredited programme and undertake 20 days of rehabilitation activity. He was also ordered to pay costs and charges totalling £197.
What they're saying: PC Thomas Ives, of the Roads and Armed Policing Team, said: "Gazza Vinyard made a choice to drive dangerously and therefore he chose to put other members of the public at serious risk. This manner of driving will not be tolerated on Suffolk's roads and RAPT officers will continue to work tirelessly to pursue these types of offenders and put them before the courts."
"Vinyard's actions were reckless and a serious threat to the lives of others – particularly at the point that he opted to drive the wrong way on a dual carriageway, towards oncoming vehicles at high speed. We were forced to take decisive action in order ensure public safety and end the pursuit before other motorists came to any harm."
The bottom line: After putting lives at risk through dangerous driving and causing serious alarm through stalking, Vinyard now faces two years under court supervision with the threat of immediate imprisonment if he breaches the terms of his suspended sentence.
