Bury: Driver jailed after leading police on car chase

Billy Price was sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court last week after pleading guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle dangerously.

The 28-year-old also admitted to driving with no insurance, failing to stop when required, driving while disqualified, obstructing a constable, and driving without due care. 

In October last year, Price, who was driving a white van on Wellington Road in Bury failed to stop after being signalled to do so by police, prosecutor Jamie Baxter told the court.

Price, of Bury Road, Heywood, drove his vehicle towards oncoming traffic and passed through several red lights at speed, reaching 60mph in a 30mph zone.

The court heard that Price stopped the van on Haslam Street where he got out of the van and tried to run away from officers.

But after a short pursuit, he was found on Hornby Street.

Mr Baxter told the court that following his arrest, Price initially gave false details to police as there was a warrant out for his arrest and he was disqualified from driving at the time.

The court heard Price has seven previous convictions for driving and traffic-related offences. 

Adam White, defending, said: “It was a reckless and incredibly dangerous piece of driving.

“No actual harm resulted from that by a stroke of luck.

“It was a short pursuit, lasting only a few minutes.”

Mr White told the court that at the time of the incident Price had been affected by grief after his wife, with whom he has two children, took her own life in 2019.

In 2021, he had been unable to attend the funeral of his new partner who also took her own life, due to being in custody for an unrelated offence.

Judge Recorder Edmund Fowler noted the high speeds at which Price had driven the white van through Bury.

He said: “I take the view that your driving took a flagrant disregard for the rules of the road.”

He sentenced Price to 54 weeks in prison. Price was also disqualified from driving for two years and 27 weeks.