Wellingborough banned motorist who drove his car at police officers is hoping to ‘turn legit’

A disqualified driver who drove around Wellingborough town centre before speeding at a police car has been jailed.

Tommy O’Hagan, 37, was watched by officers in Cambridge Street as he came out of a convenience store towards the driver’s side of a Ford KA parked on double yellow lines.

They recognised him as a banned driver and he spotted them before walking away from the car towards Market Street, Northampton Crown Court heard at a hearing on Thursday (May 19).

The police officers drove off to try to catch up with him but CCTV operators spotted the defendant return to the car, get in and drive off.

He spent twenty minutes driving around the town centre at excess speeds before making his way to his home in Penrith Drive. He had been driving at speeds between 40mph and 50mph in a 20mph zone.

Officers were waiting for him and blocked the road with their car.

As he saw them, he drove his KA at them at around 30mph, swerving only at the last minute on to the footpath and a green area between two houses. Police caught up with him at his house where they found the damaged car.

O’Hagan pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving with no licence or insurance and otherwise than in accordance with a licence following the incident on April 27, 2020.

He appeared in court from HMP Peterborough where he is being held after failing to turn up for a previous court appearance.

The court heard he had nine convictions for 23 previous offences including taking a car without consent in 2003, drink driving in 2011 and another dangerous driving conviction for which he received a 6 month suspended prison sentence.

In August 2017 he was banned from driving for two years and ordered to take an extended re-test before getting behind the wheel again. He never did,

In mitigation, barrister Micaila Williams said her client had pleaded guilty and had been in touch with friends in the roofing business while in prison to try to find a job for when he is released.

She said: “The older Mr O’Hagan gets, the more he doesn’t want to be in custody any longer.

“He has a baby on the way and there’s a real chance that if he can turn legit, there’ll be more work open to him when he is released.”

Recorder Cameron Crowe said: “This was undoubtedly very bad driving.

"You must realise you’re setting a terrible example to your children and if you do not grow out of it now, there seems little chance of you growing out of it at any stage.”

O’Hagan was sentenced to ten months in jail, of which he will serve half, and a 23 month driving ban. He must take a mandatory re-test before he can get behind the wheel of a vehicle again.