Man charged after police pursuit through St Leonards

At around 2.10am on Saturday (October 24), police became aware of a silver Ford Mondeo driving dangerously in St Leonards.

The vehicle was pursued for a short time, according to police, until it manoeuvred around bollards onto the pedestrian area of Decimus Burton Way.

It then crashed into a lamppost and two other vehicles in nearby Maze Hill, before being abandoned in Quarry Hill, police said.

It was located by Roads Policing Unit officers, who stopped a possible suspect nearby.

While he was being detained, a newly-trained police dog called Skye was tasked to track from the abandoned vehicle. She led her handler along several roads and eventually right up to where the suspect had been located, according to police.

A police spokesman said: “Darren Kelly, 42, unemployed, of Kenilworth Road, St Leonards, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, failing to stop when required by police, failing to stop after a road traffic collision, driving while disqualified and driving with no insurance.

“He has been released on conditional bail and is due to appear before Hastings Magistrates’ Court on 3 February, charged with these offences.”