Haulage boss William Russell jailed for 137mph police pursuit in Saab

William Andrew Sidney Russell’s parents may lose their home as a result of him being in prison, his solicitor advocate Anthony Sugare said.

Brooke Morrison, prosecuting, said the 23-year-old had never been in trouble with the police before he ignored an officer’s order to stop his Saab near York on July 13.

That was the start of what Recorder Tahir Khan KC called an “appalling piece of driving that could so easily have resulted in the loss of life”.

Ms Morrison said during Russell’s high speed journey from near Hopgrove roundabout to Tollerton crossroads on the A19 via Wigginton Road and Easingwold, several cars and cyclists had to swerve out of the way to avoid a collision, Russell drove at 137mph in a 60mph zone, at 80mph through red traffic lights in a 40mph zone and more than 60mph in a 30mph zone.

“There seems to have been no rhyme or reason for him to act in this way,” said Mr Sugare.  Russell had passed a breath test after he crashed into bushes at Tollerton crossroads, also known as Cross Lanes.

Dangerous driver William Andrew Sidney Russell (Image: North Yorkshire Police)

Russell, of Settrington, Malton, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving. He was jailed for eight months, banned from driving for 16 months and ordered to take an extended driving test before driving alone again. 

“It is due to sheer good fortune no-one was killed as a result of your very dangerous driving,” the judge told Russell.

York Crown Court heard that Russell runs his own agricultural haulage business with two vehicles.

Ms Morrison said police were on the lookout for the Saab because it had “failed to stop for officers in recent weeks”. 

When they saw it on the A64 heading from Malton to York, they signalled to it to stop, but after initially slowing it speeded up to 117 mph.

The route taken by William Russell (Image: Google Street View)

The judge said Russell drove down North Lane onto the A1237 Outer Ring Road and, with the police sounding their siren and flashing blue lights behind him, overtook cars forcing ongoing traffic to take evasive action.

When he turned right onto Wigginton Road three cars had to stop to avoid a collision and Russell accelerated up to 124mph, slowing down to 80mph as he went through red traffic lights at the 40mph Mill Lane junction.

He speeded up to 110mph, and lost the police in Sutton-on-the-Forest. Ms Morrison said police spotted him again in Stillington Road, Easingwold, doing 60mph in a 30mph zone.

He turned south at the Easingwold bypass and speeded up to 137mph as he headed towards York.

At Cross Lanes, he lost control, hurtled across the road and crashed into bushes on the far side of a ditch.

• Read about another driver who tried to get away from police at more than 100 mph here 

Mr Sugare said Russell was worried by debts he owed, including a loan for his business secured on his parents’ home.

“There is a risk of innocent people losing their home if he was sent to prison,” said the solicitor advocate.

“He acknowledges his stupidity in not stopping for the police.”