Former Leamington resident gets suspended sentence after leading police on high speed chase

A former Leamington man returned to the town as he led a police motorcyclist on a dangerous high speed covering almost 12 miles at speeds of up to 90mph.

But after spending a month in custody following his arrest, Alistair Tallis was given a suspended prison sentence by a judge at Warwick Crown Court.

Tallis (27) formerly of Gloucester Street, Leamington, but now living in Quinton, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and having no insurance.

Despite having previous convictions, including one for dangerous driving, he was sentenced to 14 months in jail suspended for 18 months, ordered to take part in a rehabilitation activity, and banned from driving for three years.

Prosecutor Simon Hanns said that on April 24 a police motorcyclist saw a Vauxhall Corsa heading towards Coventry city centre along Foleshill Road.

He thought the driver Tallis’s reaction to seeing him seemed suspicious, so turned to follow the car and put on his blue light, at which Tallis accelerated hard.

Tallis reached 50mph as he continued towards the city centre before going through a red light onto the A444 as he headed towards the A46 dual carriageway.

He then drove along the hard shoulder at 90mph to undertake other traffic before increasing to 100mph.

After coming off the A46 onto Kenilworth Road, Tallis headed towards Leamington at 60mph, going round the Bericote Road island twice before continuing to Leamington.

Doing 50 on the 30mph as he entered the town, he went through a red light to turn into Lillington Avenue and the wrong way round the next island, in the face of oncoming traffic.

He then turned into Leicester Street and Lansdowne Street before pulling out onto Willes Road without stopping, forcing an oncoming car to take evasive action.

After speeding along Upper Holly Walk, Tallis finally stopped following a pursuit of just under 12 miles and made off on foot, but was caught and arrested in nearby Greenwood Court.

Mr Hanns added that Tallis, who said he had not stopped because he had ‘panicked,’ had previous convictions for a number of offences including driving while disqualified.

Marcus Harry, defending, said Tallis’s mother died in 2016 which had a significant effect on him, his father died shortly after that, and then last year his partner, who was expecting twins, suffered a miscarriage.

Prior to his arrest Tallis, who suffers from anxiety and depression, was living in supported accommodation where he was visited by a support worker every day.

“I would ask the court to consider whether it’s a case where he can be given one final chance,” added Mr Harry.

Agreeing to do so, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano told Tallis: “I have some sympathy for your position, but what you did on this occasion was very, very dangerous indeed.

“If you drive in this way, you risk killing someone, and if you had killed or seriously injured someone, you would have been looking at many years in prison.”

The judge pointed out that if he was ordered to serve the 14-month sentence, he would still have a year of the sentence to serve – but told him: “I am going to suspend it.

“It is over to you. I am reserving any breaches to myself, and if you and I meet again I will have no alternative.”