Motorist jailed after driving in Northampton town centre while disqualified and running from police

A motorist who was disqualified from driving until next summer has been jailed for 20 weeks after being caught behind the wheel again in Northampton.

Petrut Ionut Craciun, aged 27, of Wheatfield Terrace, was stopped by officers while he was driving a Volkswagen Golf in Bridge Street at 3.15am on Thursday February 9.

When officers asked Craciun for his name, he provided false details before running from them however, following a brief foot chase through Northampton town centre, he was arrested in St Peter’s Way.

Once in custody, checks on the Police National Computer established Craciun’s real identity, along with the fact that he was disqualified from driving until August 2024, after breaching a previous disqualification on July 5 last year.

Craciun was subsequently charged with driving whilst disqualified and using a motor vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance.

Arresting officer, PC Ben Crossland of the Roads Policing Team, said: “Reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads remains our priority and removing uninsured and unlicensed drivers from our roads helps to do just that.

“Some people will see this type of driving offence as a victimless crime. However, we witness far too often, the devastation a road collision has on those involved, their families and the wider communities but when this also involves an uninsured and unlicensed driver, there is also the financial costs associated with it.”

At Northampton Magistrates Court, Craciun pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20-weeks in prison, further disqualified from driving for 36-months and ordered to pay £85 court costs and £154 victim surcharge.