A 23-year-old Nigerian national, Michael Chiedu Nwanze, has been sentenced to 13 months behind bars by the Northampton Crown Court following a high-speed, reckless getaway attempt that ended when he became trapped in a gridlocked traffic jam.
The dramatic incident unfolded on March 10, when road policing officers flagged down a Mercedes driven by Nwanze in Abington Square, Northampton, after automated checks revealed the vehicle lacked insurance.
Rather than pulling over, Nwanze accelerated away, triggering a 12-mile pursuit through busy urban streets including Cheyne Walk and Bedford Road before hitting the A45 toward Wellingborough. Dashcam footage released by Northamptonshire Police captured the Mercedes weaving aggressively, ignoring multiple red lights, clocking 70mph in 40mph zones, and soaring past 100mph on dual carriageways.
The high-stakes chase was abruptly halted near the Wilby Way roundabout as Nwanze ran straight into heavy, stationary traffic. Desperate to keep moving, he rammed into several surrounding vehicles before officers successfully boxed him in, smashed the driver’s window, and pulled him out.
Appearing for sentencing, Judge Rupert Mayo condemned Nwanze’s “incredibly selfish” actions, noting the extreme dangers posed by driving a powerful luxury vehicle without a proper license or insurance. Nwanze had earlier entered guilty pleas to charges of dangerous driving, driving without insurance, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, and failing to stop for police.
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