A BRADFORD school worker who drove double the speed and drink drive limit, looping around the Holme Wood estate, has been sentenced for dangerous driving.
Barry Nunney, 39, was spotted shortly after 10pm in May last year driving a Vauxhall Astra at speed, braking and screeching past a police car.
Officers followed the defendant onto Broadstone Way and Nunney failed to stop despite the police vehicle’s blue lights and sirens.
Bradford Crown Court heard how: “A pursuit followed as the Astra made loops around the Holme Wood estate travelling at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour on roads with 30 miles per hour speed limits.
“The officer describes a short pursuit that went onto Holmewood Road. On approach to the junction with Grayswood Drive, the Astra was travelling on the wrong side of the carriageway.
“It was travelling towards oncoming traffic including a double-decker bus, which was forced to brake to a stop to avoid a collision.”
Nunney, of Tyersal Lane, Tyersal, abandoned the vehicle nearby and ran into a house and out of the back door, jumping over a fence.
The police helicopter was needed to locate him in a nearby garden and he was arrested.
When breathalysed his lowest reading was 64 microgrammes - almost double the limit of 35 microgrammes.
Nunney was dealt with separately for driving over the prescribed limit, receiving a fine and a driving ban.
He was later charged with dangerous driving to which he also pleaded guilty.
The court was told that he had 11 previous convictions across 17 offences in total – but no previous convictions for dangerous driving.
In sentencing Judge Ahmed Nadim said he was in some ways fortunate that the two matters had been dealt with separately and that there had been a delay in the second case.
As a result, he was able to suspend the eight-month prison sentence he imposed. He did order that Nunney carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and pay a fine of £750 for breaching an earlier suspended sentence by committing this crime.
He also ordered that Nunney pay £250 towards prosecution costs in the case, and further banned him from driving for 12 months.
In mitigation the court heard how Nunney worked full-time at Oastlers School in Bradford, supporting children with social, emotional and mental health issues.
He also was a father to two young children.
In the 16 months since the offence there had been no further offending from Nunney.
The judge was urged to note the delay in this case, Nunney's timely guilty plea and his personal circumstances.
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