Drink-driver who narrowly avoided head-on crash in Peterborough during police chase found hiding inside storage cupboard

Callum Monds of no fixed abode was seen driving a silver VW Golf in the early hours of August 2 last year.

The 23-year-old was spotted by officers approaching a red light at speed before braking heavily to stop before the white line.

Police followed Monds but he failed to stop, despite them using sirens and blue lights.

Monds drove dangerously through residential streets of Peterborough at speeds of more than 70mph, despite the 30mph limit.

On the A1139 - a dual carriageway - Monds drove at speeds of more than 100mph.

He also drove through multiple sets of red traffic lights and travelled the wrong way round a roundabout, forcing two other drivers out of his path.

He continued on Whittlesey Road and drove the wrong way round a roundabout again, before driving up a footpath.

Monds eventually stopped the car in a residential area and, together with his passenger, ran off on foot.

Both men fled towards the rear garden of a house in Henson Drive, Hempsted. Police searched the area and found the men hiding in an outside storage cupboard.

Officers searched the cupboard and found the keys to the VW Golf. Monds was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving.

He provided a breath sample in custody, which provided a reading of 77 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath – more than twice the legal drink drive limit of 35 micrograms.

In police interview Monds denied driving the vehicle involved and was released on bail. The passenger faced no further action.

Roughly two months later, in the early hours of October 20 last year, Monds came to the attention of police again when he was spotted by officers driving dangerously.

He drove at speeds of more than 95mph and travelled head-on towards oncoming traffic in a bid to escape police.

He was first spotted in Eye Road, Peterborough, driving a stolen Vauxhall Astra with his brother Edward Monds (28) of Henson Drive, Peterborough, in the car.

A pursuit began and the officers witnessed Monds turn right and go round a roundabout, at the A1139 junction with the A15, in the wrong direction and head-on towards oncoming traffic.

Monds headed towards the village of Eye and reached speeds of 90mph in a 60mph zone. At the village’s roundabout with the A47 he again negotiated the roundabout in the wrong direction, heading towards oncoming traffic.

Monds continued towards Thorney on the A47 and reached speeds of more than 95mph on the single-carriageway road with a speed limit of 60mph.

He reached the A47 roundabout with Eye Green Services and travelled the wrong way round the roundabout, before turning onto Crowland Road and then left into a residential area.

Monds then stopped the car and both brothers fled on foot but were found by the officers and arrested.

The owner of the Vauxhall Astra later told police that she had been at Edward Monds’ house when the brothers told her they were going to get “more alcohol”. They left the house and the woman then noticed her car keys were missing.

In police interview, both brothers answered “no comment” to all questions asked of them.

For the August 2018 offences Callum Monds stood trial at Peterborough Crown Court back in May this year, where he was found guilty of dangerous driving and driving while over the legal alcohol limit.

In relation to the October 2018 offences both Callum Monds and Edward Monds pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking at a previous court hearing.

The pair were sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday). Callum Monds was handed a total of 31 months in prison and disqualified from driving for two and a half years, with an extended retest also required.

Edward Monds was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work. He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.

PC Darren Cray, who investigated together with PC Leigh Fenton, said: “Callum Monds’ manner of driving in both incidents was incredibly dangerous and the results could have been a lot worse.

“Speeding and driving while under the influence are two of the fatal four causes of collisions on the county’s roads.

“On both occasions Monds was spotted while officers were out on a proactive patrol and this highlights the message that we can’t be everywhere, but we could be anywhere.”

The force operates a dedicated, confidential hotline for members of the public to call and report those driving under the influence of drink and drugs.

The hotline - 0800 032 0845 - is available 24/7 and gives people the opportunity to supply the police with information to help reduce the number of drink drivers on our roads.

For more information about drink driving, the law and the dangers it can cause, visit: www.cambs.police.uk/drinkdrugdriving.