Cocaine-fuelled driver led police on 15-mile chase

A DRIVER led police on a cocaine fuelled 90mph chase around country lanes because he thought he was about to be stopped for drink-driving.

Scott Millman tried to outrun police when they attempted to make a routine stop late at night because he had taken cocaine and been drinking.

The chase through 15 miles of North Devon roads only ended when his car was stopped by a stinger device.

Millman, 25, of Leigh Cross, Chulmleigh, admitted dangerous driving and possession of cocaine and was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years, banned from driving for a year, ordered to do 200 hours' unpaid community work and curfewed for three months by Judge Phillip Wassall at Exeter Crown Court.

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The judge told him: "The fact that no one was killed was purely a matter of luck. Had you caused a death I would have no alternative but to jail you for about six years.

"If things had gone differently the results could have been disastrous because this was a really bad course of driving over 15 miles in which you went through red lights and though a roundabout the wrong way.

"A camper van had to swerve to avoid you and you reached speeds of up to 90mph, all because you thought you might be over the drink-drive limit, which you were not.

"Quite apart from anything else you put the police who were pursuing you at risk because of the length and nature of the driving.

"You had cocaine in you but there is no evidence that it affected your driving.

"This was a massive error on your part."

David Bowen, for the prosecution, said the high-speed chase took place in roads in the Chulmleigh and Torrington areas after police tried to stop Millman and he sped off.

He was eventually stopped by a stinger near Torrington and found to have a small amount of cocaine on him, which it is accepted was for his own use.

Richard Crabb, for the defence, said Millman deserved credit for his guilty plea and remorse and had driven in the way he did as a result of panicking when he saw the police car.