Driver loses control in high-speed police chase

One woman had to jump for her life as Michael Stephen Harrison, who had been flinging his BMW around corners and roaring past schools at speeds of up to 90mph, lost control of the vehicle, the court was told.
Helen Gambrill, prosecuting, said when police spotted the 19-year-old, of Underwood Road, Calcot, at 2.30pm on the A340 at Pangbourne, checks revealed he was uninsured.
They activated sirens and blue lights but, instead of stopping, said Ms Gambrill, “Mr Harrison accelerated away across a mini roundabout and on the wrong side of the road... it was a 30mph limit; the officers were doing 80mph and still not gaining on him.”
A high-speed chase ensued, past Pangbourne College towards Yattendon, the court heard. Ms Gambrill said police were unable to keep up with him as he tore past St Andrew’s School, Buckhold, at 90mph and instead “followed his cloud of dust”.
She added: “He overtook another car at high speed and sped down Tidmarsh Lane, passing a pedestrian and taking a series of blind bends at speeds in excess of 80mph. These were narrow, rural roads with no dividing lane markings and high banks with trees either side.
“The officers decided it was too dangerous to continue the pursuit at those speeds. If any vehicle had been exiting a junction, a collision would have been inevitable.”
In Tidmarsh village, the court heard, a woman pedestrian told police she “narrowly avoided” being struck by the BMW, having to jump out of its path as it careered past – by now, out of control.
Ms Gambrill said: “This was extremely dangerous and could easily have resulted in a fatality. Mr Harrison has lost control on a bend. “The car crossed to the opposite carriageway, struck a house, rebounded across the carriageway and crashed into the fence of a second property. The defendant was arrested immediately.”
Mr Harrison admitted dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, all on June 25 this year.
He had previous convictions but none for motoring offences, said Sally Thomson, defending.
She pointed out that “these were rural roads, not a built up area” and added that there had not been much other traffic at the time.
Ms Thomson said that, contrary to the impression given by the prosecution narrative, the incident had lasted no more than a few minutes.
She urged magistrates to deal with sentencing themselves rather than send her client to a Crown court judge for sentence.
However, after retiring to consider the matter with colleagues, presiding magistrate Nicola Buchanan-Dunlop told Mr Harrison: “You are being committed to the Crown Court at Reading. This was a very serious incident and they have greater sentencing powers.”
Mr Harrison was released on bail.