Teen who drove on wrong side of road during police chase is jailed

At around 9.10am on Monday May 20 this year officers from Merseyside Police’s Matrix Roads Policing Unit began following a blue Nissan Juke, with suspected cloned registration plates.

The driver failed to stop for police and the car was then driven at speed and on the wrong side of the road on the East Lancashire Road from Haydock towards St Helens.

Officers carried out a "tactical stop” of the vehicle, trapping it between several of their cars, at the junction with Carr Mill Road in Billinge.

The driver tried to flee but was detained by two officers.

There were no reported injuries.

Marshall Taylor, 19, of Bank Street, Newton-le-Willows, was arrested and later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, no insurance, and no licence.

He was today (September 13) sentenced to 30 months in prison.

Insp Phil McManus from the Matrix Roads Policing Unit said: “The actions of this driver on that day – driving at speed and on the wrong side of the road with no regard for other motorists - could clearly have had serious or even fatal consequences.

“Thankfully our officers were able to act quickly and decisively to bring the incident to a safe conclusion.

“Our pursuit drivers are highly trained and experienced professionals.

“This serves as an example of the difficult decisions police officers make daily, while risking their own safety, to keep the public safe.”