Sunderland man convicted of dangerous driving after New Year's Eve red light 'Russian roulette' police chase
A driver sparked a police chase in his bid to get to a seafront spot before the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.
Officers had noticed Anthony Cocking's white VW Scirroco on St. Michael's Way in Sunderland at around 11.55pm on December 31 2022 and believed he had contravened a red light. Newcastle Crown Court heard the police car tailed Cocking's car as it headed towards Roker and caught up with him at the beach.
Cocking claimed he did not realised he was being chased until he reached the seafront, despite the police car lights and sirens being activated. Prosecutor Helen Towers told the court: "He accepted that his driving was dangerous but said the first red light was not on red, it was on green, although he accepts contravening a second red light.
"The defendant accepted driving in excess of the speed limit to get to the beach for the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve and didn't realise he was being pursued by the police until he parked up the vehicle." Cocking, 56, Saint Leonard Street, Sunderland, was convicted of dangerous driving after a trial in his absence by magistrates.
He was convicted by a jury of separate offences of attempting to cause GBH with intent and dangerous driving three months earlier when his home came under attack in the early hours of the morning in September 2022.
The court heard two men had set a fire on the street outside Cocking's home and also set his bin alight. Miss Towers added: "The defendant drove at the men on three occasions. Following crashing his vehicle on the third occasion the defendant attacked one of the men and at some stage kicked him in the face while he was on the floor."
John Crawford, defending, said the New Year's Eve danger driving was only around four minutes long and there was provocation in the earlier offences, with no further trouble between those involved since.
Judge Sarah Mallett said going through a red light is "Russian roulette" and that the earlier violence was a form of "revenge" attack but followed a significant degree of provocation. Cocking, who has previous convictions including violence, was sentenced to a total of five years and four months with a two year road ban and extended test requirement.