A 35-year-old man has been jailed after an attempt to evade police in Scarborough ended with a member of the public’s vehicle being written off.
Harrison Douglas Long was sentenced to 14 months in custody at York Crown Court after admitting to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. He was also banned from driving for two years.
The incident happened on 28 July, when officers spotted Long, who was wanted by another police force, behind the wheel of a white van.
Civilian Car Damaged During Escape
Police said an officer in an unmarked vehicle had followed Long into a courtyard near Somerset Terrace and instructed him to stop.
Instead, Long attempted to get away, driving towards the officer and police vehicle. He narrowly avoided the officer before trying to pass between the police car and another vehicle belonging to a member of the public.
The manoeuvre caused the civilian vehicle to be pushed across the car park and damaged. The unmarked police vehicle was also damaged and later required extensive repairs, leaving it off the road for a prolonged period.
The public vehicle was ultimately written off because the cost of repairs was considered too high.
Officers Later Traced Long
Long did not remain at the scene. Roads Policing officers later located him travelling as a passenger in another vehicle.
The vehicle was stopped at Crambeck, near Malton, where officers arrested him.
He appeared before York Magistrates’ Court on 29 July and pleaded guilty to all three offenses before being sentenced at York Crown Court.
Det Con Alfie Thomlinson, from Scarborough CID, said the sentence was a welcome outcome and warned that attempts to escape from police can have serious consequences.
He added that the officer involved was fortunate to avoid injury, saying the incident could have ended very differently.
“Let it be a message to anyone else who thinks that police officers are just a uniform. We are human, we have loved ones to return home to after each shift, and we will not tolerate dangerous behavior like this from anyone,” he said via North Yorkshire Police.
Local Reaction: Was the Sentence Fair?
The 14-month prison sentence handed to Long has sparked strong debate on Facebook, with many commenters questioning whether the punishment was severe enough.
Several described the sentence as far too short, with some arguing that a much longer prison term was warranted given the circumstances. Others suggested the court should have imposed a harsher punishment and pointed to the potential danger to the police officer and the damage caused to the public vehicle.
There were also calls for Long to be held financially responsible for the damage, particularly after the innocent motorist was left without their car.