A man who attacked police officers after fleeing in his blue BMW has been jailed. Christopher Fleming threatened, kicked, bit and attempted to grab a police officer's Taser during the incident.
High-speed chase and arrest
The case against Fleming began on August 13 in the Firs Lane area of Warrington when police received a report that a man matching his description had entered a blue BMW, allegedly under the influence of alcohol. A police officer attempted to stop Fleming, who then fled the scene in the car.
Shortly after, an officer spotted the same BMW speeding in the Cromwell Avenue area and attempted to stop the vehicle. Again, Fleming ignored officers and continued driving at high speeds, running a set of red lights. The officer later found the BMW abandoned in the Helmsdale Lane area. A police dog tracked Fleming to an address on Gregory Close, roughly a mile away.
Violent resistance and custody
The 42-year-old was found inside the address, claiming he had not been out of the property in some time and had not been driving the BMW. Actively resisting attempts the officers made to detain and arrest him, Fleming became violent, making threats and kicking two of the officers and even attempting to grab another's Taser. In custody, Fleming also lunged at one of the officers, with his teeth making contact with the officer's arm.
It was later found Fleming was banned from driving in 2005 and had not yet taken the extended test required of him to regain a driving licence.
Court appearance and sentencing
Christopher Fleming appeared at Chester Magistrates' Court on Friday, August 14, where he was jailed for 14 weeks (three months and one week). The sentencing comes after Fleming, of Gregory Close, Warrington, pleaded guilty to using a motor vehicle on a public road without insurance, failing to stop for police, driving without due care and attention and driving whilst disqualified. Fleming had also pleaded guilty to three counts of assaulting a police officer and obstructing an officer in the execution of their duty.
Chief Inspector Cameron Taylor said: "Christopher Fleming's arrest and subsequent conviction was the result of a team-effort; officers from several specialist departments coming together with a common goal in mind: to locate and arrest a dangerous driver who posed a serious risk to other road-users and pedestrians. I would like to thank the attending officers for the utmost professionalism they showed throughout this particularly challenging arrest and transfer to custody. Our officers do not come to work to be physically assaulted in any form, they come to work to protect the public and bring those who have done wrong to justice - which is exactly the result we have achieved here."
