Speed demon hit with heavy fine but escapes driving ban
A man who led Police on a high speed, 11-kilometre car chase will have to pay more than $2,000 in fines.
Eric Kenneth Dunkley, of Sugar Apple Lane, Pembroke, pleaded guilty yesterday in Magistrates' Court to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and failing to stop for Police on August 24, 1997.
Junior Crown Counsel Veronica Gordon told the court Police on pedal cycles saw Dunkley driving the wrong way on a one way street in St. Georges around 4 p.m.
But the 25-year-old failed to stop for the officers and reportedly struck their cycles as he sped away.
No serious injuries or damages were reported. Mobile officers next saw Dunkley moving at high speed near Rocky Hill Park and pursued him along Mullet Bay Road.
But Ms Gordon said Dunkley "paid no heed'' to Police and even forced other motorists to take evasive action as he sped the wrong way around a roundabout on Kindley Field Road.
The chase continued with speeds reportedly reaching up to 100 kph along Wilkinson Avenue, Harrington Sound Road, Paynters Road and South Road.
Dunkley finally skidded to a stop at the junction of Club Road and surrendered.
The court heard Dunkley already had previous convictions for driving while disqualified and dangerous driving.
He was banned from all vehicles for five years in July 1993, and banned for a further year in 1995.
He will be eligible to drive again in July this year.
But Senior Magistrate Will Francis refused to disqualify Dunkley and ordered him to pay $500 for driving while disqualified and imposed a three-month prison sentence suspended for one year.
And he imposed $800 and $300 fines for dangerous driving and failing to stop for Police, respectively.
Mr. Francis also imposed a $500 fine and three-month sentence suspended for one year for driving while disqualified on a separate occasion.
