Corby's most disqualified driver Lee Annand admits he's 'stupid' as he's jailed again

A dangerous driver has been banned from driving until April 2028 after committing a string of offences while out of prison on licence.

Lee Annand was caught by police driving cars and motorbikes six times between May and August this year, despite already being banned until 2026. One two occasions officers had to abandon pursuits through Corby because his driving was so dangerous.

His list of convictions is so extensive that prosecutors didn’t even read it out in court – instead referring to his ‘long, long’ record.

The 34-year-old, formerly of Corby but now of HMP Peterborough, had just been released from prison after serving two months of a four-month sentence for a string of fuel theft and driving offences.

Appearing at Northampton Crown Court yesterday (Friday, September 23), prosecutor Ben Gow described how, on May 4, police officers saw Annand riding a red and white off-road bike in Harlech, going towards Dunedin Road. Annand drove directly toward the police vehicle and the officer at the wheel had to swerve to avoid him.

The defendant was wearing no helmet and smiled as he went past officers.

Then on July 31, officers spotted Annand riding the same bike in Rockingham Road, Kettering. The followed him but had to stop their pursuit as it became too dangerous.

The following day, August 1, ANPR cameras picked up the same bike travelling along Northampton Road in Kettering.

The on August 21, officers spotted Annand parked up in Culross Walk, Corby, in a Fiat Bravo. When he spotted them, he drove off in the direction of Dunedin Road. Followed by officers, Annand sped off and was spotted driving straight across a roundabout and along the wrong side of the road.

Officers again had to call off their pursuit when it became too dangerous, and the vehicle was later found empty, parked up in Morrisons car park.

On August 23 Annand was seen by officers driving a black BMW in George Street, Corby.

The following day, police publicly announced Annand was a wanted man and he went to ground.

But on August 28, ANPR cameras were triggered by a Vauxhall Insignia known to be driven by Annand, and he was traced to Balmoral, Corby.

Officers followed him as he drove at speeds of 70mph a 30-zone.

He turned into Beanfield Avenue and sped across several speed bumps and a zebra crossing at 70mph before turning into Cottingham Road where he turned left at the BP Fourways garage before going along the A6003 at 100mph. He turned into Danesholme Road and got out of the car with another man before the pair ran off. Annand was sniffed-out by a police dog, arrested, and returned to custody.

Mr Gow said: “He could have caused a significant colission.”

Mitigating for Annand, advocate Will Heyward, said his client had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, adding: “He accepted that what he did was stupid. That’s his own word.

"He doesn’t know why he did it.”

He said his client had ADHD and had stopped taking his Ritalin but had now vowed to begin taking the medication once again.

"He doesn’t think the same way that a neuro-typical person does,” added Mr Heyward.

District Judge (MC) Adrian Lower said: “You’ve been disqualified many times in the past and you don’t seem to be keen to learn the lesson.

“When the court makes orders it expects those orders to be complied with.

“It’s more by luck than judgement that your offences did not create actual harm.”

Annand admitted one charge of failing to surrender to custody, two charges of failing to stop for a police constable, five charges of driving while disqualified, five charges of driving without insurance and two charges of dangerous driving.

DJMC Lower disqualified Annand from driving for a further 18 months on top of the ban he is already serving, meaning he will not be able to drive again until April 2028.

He will have to sit a mandatory re-test before he is allowed to drive again.

He was also given a two-year immediate jail term of which he will have to serve half before he can be released on on licence.

Annand has been one of the top targets for officers carrying out Operation Pacify, which aims to clamp down on dangerous motorbikes and quad bikes on the streets of Corby following years of complaints from locals.

Since spring, neighbourhood officers have seized 35 vehicles which they have confiscated. They have made several prominent arrests and the courts have handed down a number of sentences to locals.

Northants Telegraph reporters went out with officers earlier this year to see them in action.

In March, repeat offender Ryan Corr was given a ten-month jail term for various offences including driving while disqualified.

In August, Connor Burgess, 21, was handed a suspended prison term for driving his bike dangerously in Dunedin Road.

And at the end of last month, Andru-Jay Burgess was sent back to jail again after clocking-up yet more driving offences to add to his already-shameful record.

Much of the illegal bike activity is centred around the town’s Kingswood and Lincoln estates, where officers have been relentlessly monitoring likely offenders.

Anyone with information on off-road bikes being ridden, traded or stored illegally can directly email the man in charge of Operation Pacify, PC Walker at [email protected]