The dangerous North Wales drivers who should never have got behind the wheel
A former rugby player who drove at 139mph, a scooter rider who sent a pedestrian "flying" and a dangerous driver on the A55[1] were among motorists jailed in North Wales this year.
There was also a "callous" man who left a 77-year-old pensioner with life-changing injuries, a disqualified driver in a high speed pursuit and a suspect who reached 160mph.
Judges in courts in North Wales heard these and other cases of defendants caught on our roads. Here is a summary of some of these shocking cases. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here[3][2] Advertisement
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Maredudd Francis
Maredudd Francis, 31, of Coed Aben, Wrexham, was jailed for 40 months for possession of cocaine with intent to supply and for 12 months consecutively for dangerous driving -Credit:North Wales Police
A former rugby player turned drug dealer drove at up to 139mph on a motorway as he tried to escape police.
Packages were thrown out of his car before he collided with another car, injuring its passenger.
Maredudd Francis, 31, a former RGC rugby team captain, admitted possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis and dangerous driving[4]. He was jailed at Mold[5] Crown Court[6] in January for a total of four and a half years.
A judge told him he should know the harm drugs cause. Prosecutor Joshua Gorst told how a police officer on mobile patrol, acting on information that it may be involved in drug offending, decided to stop a grey BMW car[7] on the M56 motorway on Sunday, September 29 last year.
Dale Broome
Dale Broome, 29, of Uplands Avenue, Portobello, Wolverhampton, was jailed for 16 months for dangerous driving plus four months concurrent for driving whilst disqualified and four months concurrent for failing to stop at the scene of an accident -Credit:North Wales Police
A dangerous driver drove the wrong way on the A55 and A525 and at 100mph on 20mph roads.
He was only stopped when his car got stuck in mud on an embankment and a pursuing officer prepared to Taser him. Advertisement Advertisement
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A judge branded it the worst case of such driving without casualties she had ever seen. She said it was a "miracle" no-one was killed or seriously injured[8].
Dale Broome, 29, admitted five driving offences and was jailed at Caernarfon[9] Crown Court[10] for 16 months.
Adam Roberts
Adam Roberts, 25, of Glaslyn, Plas Madoc, Acrefair was jailed for 16 months for dangerous driving -Credit:North Wales Police
A dangerous driver crashed his car into a wall while trying to escape from police. Adam Roberts then fled from the vehicle, but was soon caught by officers.
The incident happened a month after he had stolen items worth almost GBP900 from shops.
Roberts, 25, of Glaslyn, Plas Madoc, Acrefair, was jailed at Caernarfon Crown Court in March for 16 months for driving a vehicle dangerously. Advertisement Advertisement
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Prosecutor Selda Krasniqi told how a police officer had been looking out for a blue BMW car without its front number plate and spotted it[11] on Stansty Road, Wrexham[12] on February 21 this year.
Liam Babbs
Liam Babbs, 26, of Marsh Road, Rhyl, was jailed for two years and eight months for causing serious injury by dangerous driving -Credit:North Wales Police
A "callous" motorist struck a pensioner and left him with "life-changing" injuries before driving home rather than stopping to help. Liam Babbs was driving at twice the speed limit when he collided with a 77-year-old man who was cleaning his car.
The victim, Cliff Roberts, was left with "irreversible" injuries, and was screaming out in pain after being hit by the car.
But Babbs, 26, decided to drive home rather than stop to help.
Father-of-three Babbs, of Marsh Road, Rhyl, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving[13] and was jailed in May for two years and eight months.
Nathan Williams
Nathan Williams -Credit:North Wales Police
A disqualified driver trying to enter the A55 the wrong way during a "high speed pursuit" was brought to a stop by a police car. Advertisement Advertisement
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A video taken from the police, showed the force vehicle striking a car driven by disqualified driver Nathan Raymond Williams, bringing the chase to a halt. He was then arrested.
Nathan Raymond Williams, 29, of Tan y Bryn Road, Maesgeirchen, Bangor appeared before a Caernarfon court in June charged with driving offences including dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified..[14][15]
Patrick Connors
Patrick Connors -Credit:North Wales Police
A dangerous driver who had spent years on the run was arrested following a 160mph motorway chase.
Patrick Connors, also known as William Ward, was spotted in a BMW car in Leicestershire in February this year.
Police attempted to stop the vehicle, but the 45-year-old drove away, and reached speeds of up to 160mph on the M1 and M69 motorways.[16] Advertisement Advertisement
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He was later arrested, and police discovered Connors, of Riverside Caravan Park, Queensferry[17], had previously failed to appear in court charged with receiving GBP21,000 from a rogue trader scam. He was jailed in August this year after admitting acquiring criminal property, dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified.
Aiden Williams
Aiden Williams, 18, of Granville Street, Monmouth, was detained for 18 months for causing serious injury by dangerous driving in Johnstown -Credit:North Wales Police
A scooter rider was driving at an "extraordinary" 60mph in a 20mph zone when he collided with a pedestrian sending her "flying ten feet" into the air and leaving her in agony.
Aiden Williams, 18, who only bought his scooter five days earlier and had no licence nor insurance, ran off through a pond before being arrested.
Later (uk.news.yahoo.com)