Clacton man fled along A133 in dad's wrecked Jaguar

Daniel Bartholomew, 46, was spoken to by two off-duty police officers at the scene of a crash near Clacton in the early hours of June 1, 2020.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard his car, a white Jaguar XF, had struck a barrier and was in a nearby layby.

A sentencing hearing was told the car in fact belonged to Bartholomew’s father, and “on the face of it, had been taken without his consent”.

The court heard the officers saw the “extensive” damage to the vehicle and “didn’t think it was physically capable of being driven”.

But Bartholomew proved them wrong, getting into the wrecked Jag and abruptly driving away from the scene.

Daniel Bartholomew appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court for sentence (Image: Newsquest)

He drove along the A133, followed by the officers “at a safe distance”.

The court was told sparks were flying, with smoke coming from the car while it “swerved” over the road approaching speeds of 60pmh.

While within the speed limit, the court heard the car was being driven too fast given its damaged state.

Bartholomew, of Carnarvon Road, Clacton, approached St John’s roundabout, taking the exit onto St John’s Road, before finally pulling over.

The officers called for back-up and Bartholomew was arrested, refusing to provide a roadside breath test at the scene and refusing again in custody.

The court was told: “None of those offences were charged in time so those have fallen away.”

He admitted dangerous driving, with Recorder Alexander Mills told the defendant has four convictions for seven offences – all relating to driving matters.

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Barry Gilbert, mitigating, asked the judge to read a character reference from his mother.

He said: “These offences are now of some age, he pleaded guilty in 2021.

“He’s got his life together, he’s not been in any trouble since. This delay is not down to him.

“Having seen what is said in the pre-sentence report, the fact is he’s been away from the courts and in fact got himself together, it may well be Your Honour is persuaded by the recommendations before him.”

Mr Gilbert accepted “there has to be a punishment”, conceding “he shouldn’t have driven away when the car was a bit of a wreck”.

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Recorder Mills said: “You fall to be sentenced for a matter that occurred now a long time ago, indeed you pleaded guilty to this a very long time ago, and you’ve waited a considerable period of time to be sentenced for it.

“I bear in mind the guideline produced by the Sentencing Council on dangerous driving. The starting point is 12 weeks custody with a range of a high-level community order to 26 weeks custody.

“In this case I can depart from that starting point and indeed in my view from the range in light of the age of the offence.

“I note you have convictions which are similar, but from a long time ago.

“The circumstances are somewhat unusual as well in how they occurred.”

Bartholomew was sentenced to a 12-month community order, consisting of 45 hours of unpaid work and a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Mr Bartholomew was also disqualified from driving for 15 months.

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