Sussex man who crashed into house during high-speed police chase jailed

In March 2022, police officers in Cheshire responded to reports of a car swerving on the M6 motorway and driving at ‘excess speeds’ through a 50mph roadworks area.

Officers made attempts to stop the vehicle – driven by Brighton man Jack Watson – but he failed to stop, leading officers to engage in a pursuit, according to Cheshire Polie.

Watson then exited the motorway, pulling in front of a HGV also leaving the motorway, and drove in excess of the speed limit through the villages of Shevington, Gathurst, Orrel, Longshaw and Billinge in Merseyside, police added.

“The pursuit concluded when Watson collided with a residential property and a parked car,” a spokesperson for Cheshire Police said.

"Such was the impact that he destroyed both vehicles and caused thousands of pounds worth of structural damage to the house.

“Despite being injured, Watson continued to evade police, decamping from the crashed vehicle, and fleeing on foot from officers - he was later found hiding in the rear garden of the house he had crashed into.

“Following his arrest officers discovered that Watson had obtained the car from a rental company before he had been insured and given permission to drive the vehicle, they also found that he was subject to a current disqualification from driving for similar offences.

“Watson refused to answer any questions, aside from the fact that he was disqualified from driving. But despite this, he was subsequently charged with dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.”

Jack Watson, 35, of Hartfield Avenue, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after appearing at court last Friday (April 19), police added. He had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Police Constable Richardson, of the Force's Roads and Crime Unit, said: "Jack Watson's decisions that day not only endangered the lives of other road users and the officers pursuing him, but he also risked seriously harming members of the public sat inside what is meant to be the safety of their own home.

"When Watson's vehicle eventually came to a stop[...] he caused considerable damage to a vehicle he did not have permission to drive or own, a parked vehicle and the exterior of someone's home.

"All of this would have been avoided if Watson had not got behind the wheel that day.”