Young man 'drove like a lunatic' during chase in Oldham

Jack Hurst, of Apfel Lane, Chadderton, appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court on May 11 after earlier pleading guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving.

The court heard from prosecutor Hannah Forsyth, who said at around 8.30pm on May 20, 2022, a police officer was driving in Chadderton when they noticed a Jaguar that was being driven on cloned plates.

The officer followed the car, which was being driven by Hurst, through residential streets before beginning a pursuit along with another officer.

Hurst, 20, sped away and led the officers on a chase onto Manchester Road, where he reached speeds of up to 70mph during the 20-minute pursuit.

He went through multiple red lights and the wrong way around a number of junctions before striking a car that was waiting at a red light, causing it considerable damage.

The Jaguar Hurst was driving eventually came to a stop when he lost control, leading him to try and run off before he was ordered to stop and arrested.

Neil Ronan, defending, said Hurst had endured a difficult childhood where he was not raised by his parents and that he had been working as a steel fixer, which he enjoyed, before he lost his job during the pandemic.

Minshull Street Crown Court (Image: Google Maps)

When sentencing, Recorder Jeremy Barnett said to Hurst that his driving had been "horrific" and that he had driven "like a lunatic through a residential area".

Recorder Barnett said to Hurst: "This must have been a frightening episode to anyone who watched.

"You were lucky, you could have killed someone.

"The public have to be protected from people like you."

He sentenced Hurst to eight months in a young offenders institution, suspended for two years, and ordered him to serve a community order which includes 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Hurst was also disqualified from driving for two years.