Sunderland man forced police helicopter scramble after 'regrettable' driving incident

A man whose driving antics while banned caused police to take to the skies in pursuit has been jailed.

Mark Wallace, 34, is starting 14 weeks behind bars, in part for offences linked to causing the Northumbria force to scramble its helicopter.

Wallace, of Quarry Road, Tunstall, Sunderland, sped from officers on the ground on Friday, March 1, 2024, and when arrested, refused to be breath tested.

He was jailed for six weeks by magistrates in South Tyneside, who activated the full length of a suspended sentence, imposed for a malicious communications offence.

They also jailed him for eight weeks for failing to provide a sample for analysis and to the same term for driving while disqualified.

The motoring offences are to run concurrently to each other but consecutive to the communications matter.

Prosecutor Holly Clegg said police saw Wallace standing beside a Vauxhall Zafira on the forecourt of a petrol station on the A690 Durham Road.

She added: “They had received a call, in relation to an unrelated incident. The man at the garage matched the description.

“They drove past and when they turned around, they saw the defendant get back into the vehicle and wheelspin off.

“He made off and the helicopter was deployed. Various searches were carried out that resulted in his arrest.

“In custody, he refused to provide a sample of breath. He gave a no comment interview.

“There’s evidence of driving shortly after the imposition of a disqualification and of bad driving and making off.”

Wallace pleaded guilty to failing to provide, failing to stop for police, driving with banned and driving without insurance.

In August, he was jailed for six weeks, suspended for 18 months, for the communications crime.

And he was banned from the roads in October for three years for drug driving and driving without insurance.

Tom Morgan, defending, urged magistrates not to activate the suspended jail term, insisting Wallace had driven because his accommodation had been attacked.

He said windows had been broken and his client got behind the wheel out of concern the car would also be damaged.

Mr Morgan added: “It was his friend’s car. It was spur of the moment and he regretted it immediately.”

Wallace was also banned from driving for 163 weeks, and must pay a £154 victim surcharge.