Man Receives Suspended Sentence for 140mph Police Chase

A male individual has been issued a suspended sentence subsequent to leading law enforcement on a vehicular pursuit, during which he attained speeds of approximately 140 miles per hour. Kieran Cook, aged 24, of Olinthus Avenue, Wolverhampton, appeared before Shrewsbury Crown Court on Friday. His appearance followed his guilty pleas to charges of dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice. He was given a one-year custodial sentence, which was then suspended for a duration of two years. Police were notified on December 23, 2023, after employees at a McDonald’s establishment in Oswestry, Shropshire, suspected that he might have been under the influence of alcohol. West Mercia Police reported that when officers responded, they observed a car, driven by Cook, exceeding 70 mph on the A5 in Shrewsbury. A pursuit then commenced, during which he reached speeds of about 140 mph as he proceeded into Telford. He later drove towards Wellington, where he achieved 80 mph in a 30 mph zone, and was seen operating the vehicle on the wrong side of the road near a roundabout and mounting the pavement. Cook failed to stop and subsequently fled the scene. Authorities stated that he denied being the driver, initially claiming his car had been cloned, and also changed the spoiler on the vehicle. Mobile phone data and CCTV footage established his presence at the McDonald’s and during the subsequent car chase. “Cook’s driving that night was extremely dangerous given the high speeds, heavy rain and large areas of standing water, and his general manner of driving, including driving through red lights,” stated PC Mark Smith. He further added, “He failed to stop for officers on two occasions and even drove against the flow of traffic towards police vehicles, and counterclockwise on a busy roundabout with no view of oncoming vehicles.”