Motoring maniac jailed

MOTORING maniac Marc Nicholls has 12 convictions for driving while disqualified . . . but he's never had a driving licence!

Now he's been locked up for 15 months after leading police on a chase at speeds of up to 70mph around an Ipswich housing estate.

Nicholls, who has never passed a driving test, was spotted filling up his car at a petrol station in Nacton Road, by police officers who wanted to speak to him about driving while disqualified the previous week, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

On seeing the police Nicholls had driven away and was chased by the officers who activated the siren and blue flashing lights on their car.

Nicholls had turned in Lindbergh Road and was driving at 70mph in a 30mph limit, said Godrfried Duah, prosecuting.

He turned into Cobham Road and it was at this stage that the pursuing officers were instructed by their control room to abandon the chase because of fears that pedestrians and other road users could be injured.

Shortly afterwards the officers noticed Nicholls' parked car in Felix Road and arrested him nearby.

Nicholls, 26, of Drake Square, Ipswich, was committed to the crown court for sentence after admitting dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Jailing him for 15 months and banning him from driving for a further two years Judge John Holt said the driving offences had been committed at 2pm on a Wednesday afternoon when the roads were busy with drivers and pedestrians.

“Fortunately the police used sensible restraint - if not the pursuit could have been prolonged and could have resulted in a serious accident,” said the judge.

He said Nicholls had been banned from the roads since July 2001 and had amassed 12 convictions for driving while disqualified.

Roger Thomson for Nicholls said his client's bad driving had lasted a matter of minutes and was not over a prolonged period.

He said Nicholls, who has 35 convictions for 111 offences, wanted to stop offending.