Disqualified driver led police on 110mph chase through Peterborough

A disqualified driver who reached speeds of 110 mph and rammed a police car in a desperate bid to avoid justice has been jailed.

Marius Babenskas led police on the chase along the A1 and through Boongate, running through red lights and undertaking cars in a desperate bid to escape.

But he was eventually stopped, and now has been jailed at Cambridge Crown Court.

Police said he showed ‘a total disregard’ to the chase.

The court heard how officers spotted Babenskas, 38, driving a BMW 730D on the A1307, near Huntingdon, at about 11pm on 27 December last year.

They suspected he was disqualified and followed the vehicle on to the A1M towards Peterborough where they signalled for him to pull over.

Babenskas continued and accelerated the vehicle up to 110mph and ran through several red lights as he was pursued into the city.

Another police car positioned itself on the A1139, near Boongate, to try to stop Babenskas, but he rammed the vehicle out of the way.

Officers eventually managed to arrest him after cornering him in Park Street.

In interview he admitted driving while disqualified and could not explain why he drove away from officers.

Babenskas, of The Shrubbery, Huntingdon, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failure to stop, and driving while disqualified and without insurance.

He was sentenced on Friday (14 July) at Cambridge Crown Court to 14 months in prison and will be disqualified from driving for three years on release.

PC Sorrin Ruffell, who investigated for Cambridgeshire police, welcomed the sentence and said: “Babenskas’ driving was clearly dangerous. He reached speeds of more than double the speed limit, undertook vehicles, and went through red lights, narrowly avoiding other vehicles.

“He showed a total disregard for the safety of other road users and was prepared to drive dangerously in an attempt to get away.”

For more information about road safety, please visit the dedicated section on the Cambridgeshire Police force website at https://www.cambs.police.uk/roadsafety