Police issue warning after dangerous driver banned from roads

Police have issued a warning to car cruisers after a dangerous driver was tracked down by officers.

Jack Sherwood clocked up speeds of up to 80mph as he sped along London Road and Meadow Lane, Nottingham, on 7 September 2023.

Sherwood almost collided with a cyclist as he sped through the built-up area of the city and across Trent Bridge.

The 26-year-old, of Gill Street, Selston, was handed a prison sentence of eight months, suspended for two years, when he appeared for sentencing at Nottingham Crown Court.

He was also banned from driving for three years on 4 March, having earlier admitted driving a motor vehicle dangerously.

Response officers on patrol first spotted Sherwood racing two other cars, around 9.45pm.

His car came around a bend from Queen's Road onto London Road at such speed that it lurched to the passenger side.

When officers activated their vehicle’s blue lights, the other two cars pulled over but Sherwood sped away.

His car accelerated through red lights and continued to pull away from the police vehicle which was travelling at 70mph.

When Sherwood’s car reached Meadow Lane it cut a corner into a bend, narrowly avoiding a cyclist.

The car was last seen heading onto Lady Bay Retail Park when officers decided to call off the pursuit due to safety concerns.

They had gathered enough information to launch an investigation and quickly identified Sherwood as the driver.

Sergeant Joe Hunt, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“Sherwood showed a complete disregard for the safety of other road users when he sped through a built-up area in such a reckless manner.

“Thankfully no one was injured by Sherwood’s display of driving that evening, but that is no thanks to him.

“We take the problem of car cruising, people meeting to race vehicles and associated antisocial behaviour very seriously across the force.

"We know this is an issue which has a negative impact on our communities and regularly carry out proactive enforcement and engagement work in hotspot areas of Nottinghamshire, including the south of the city where this incident took place. 

“The message is clear. We will not tolerate people who break the law by driving vehicles in a manner that puts other road users, and themselves, at risk of serious injury or death."