37 year old Patrick Hannifin of Vervain Drive, Rugby was sentenced to 27 weeks imprisonment suspended for two years at Warwick Crown Court on 22 January 2025 for dangerous driving and possession of Cannabis.  

He was also disqualified from driving for 18 months until he passes an extended test of competence and he must comply with a 3 month overnight monitored curfew.

He came to our attention when we were in an unmarked police car at 3am on Wednesday 1 May 2024, when we spotted him turn towards Newold on the A428 and accelerate rapidly. 

We began to follow him as he drove at 70-80mph in a 40mph limit as he cut corners and travelled on the wrong side of the road. As he entered a residential area he continued to drive at over 80mph over speed bumps in a 30mph zone struggling to stay in control. Despite our emergency lights and sirens, he only came to a stop after he hit a kerb on the wrong side of the road, causing the front wheel to shatter and both offside tyres to immediately deflate, showing the speed and force with which it collided.

He ran off into Newbold Centenary Park and after a short foot chase we arrested him.

Speaking after the sentence PC 2015 James Heath said “Hannifin’s driving can only be described as dangerous.  Each time his car hit a speed bump he lost contact with the ground and had zero control of the car at all, while driving at high speed in a residential area.

“His sentence reflects this and we can only hope it gives him time to consider his actions and if he regains his licence, he becomes a better driver next time he gets behind a wheel.”

The following clip shows the moments leading up to his arrest https://youtu.be/wWwSmUHipmw