Tivyside | Archive | 2005 | June | 2
From the Tivyside Advertiser, first published Thursday 2nd Jun 2005.
In a seven-mile police chase a man driving a new hired car, and accompanied by his girlfriend, hurtled around sharp bends on the wrong side of the road at speeds of up to 80mph before crashing the vehicle, which ended up on its roof.
Crown prosecutor Miss Jackie Lis told magistrates that Kenneth John Moore put the lives of himself, his girlfriend and a police officer at risk.
And pointing out that Moore was a provisional licence holder she said: "It begs the question how was he allowed to hire a new Renault Clio from Robin's Taxis in Cardigan."
Moore, aged 29, of Flat 1, 9 St Mary Street, Cardigan, who was represented by Stephen Welch, pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving, the offence committed on December 18 last year.
Presiding magistrate Wenna Bevan Jones said she and her colleagues felt their powers of sentencing were insufficient, and declining jurisdiction they sent Moore to the Crown Court for sentence.
Miss Lis said that at 1.30am the Clio, hired by Moore to collect his partner from Llanelli, emerged from the Ridgeway estate in Cardigan with its fog lights on.
When the officer tried to stop the Clio it accelerated away along the A478 Cardigan - Crymych road, travelling through Troedyrhiw and Penybryn at 70mph.
With the police car in pursuit the Clio cut a number of sharp bends at Bridell, rocked from side to side, and veered across the carriageway.
At Rhoshill the car overtook a stationary police vehicle, which had its blue lights flashing, and leaving the village the Clio snaked from side to side.
As the vehicle reached 80mph on the way to Blaenffos the police chase was called off because it was considered too dangerous.
Looking for a suitable place to turn the patrol car around the officer spotted grass and earth in the roadway, and at the Blaenffos /Eglwyswrw junction saw the Clio on its roof.
Moore and his girlfriend were taken to Glangwili Hospital suffering from minor injuries.
Mr Welch said that at the time Moore was in a poor frame of mind after an argument with a former partner. He is to appear at Swansea Crown Court on June 17, and the magistrates ordered a pre-sentence report.
© Newsquest Media Group 2008