Daniel Tunstead, 35, of Mond Road, Widnes, led police on a 167mph chase before crashing his BMW into a lamppost on February 23. He admitted dangerous driving, driving under the influence of cannabis, and driving without insurance at Mold Crown Court on July 3.
Chase Details
North Wales Police spotted Tunstead driving the BMW "suspiciously" on the A55. When officers illuminated blue lights and switched on sirens, Tunstead braked harshly then accelerated above 100mph, reaching 167mph. The chase lasted around five and a half minutes. He exited at the Llanfairfechan roundabout, turned left onto Penmaenmawr Road, then tried to turn right and smashed into a lamppost.
Arrest and Charges
Two passengers got out and ran from the scene, followed by Tunstead. He was tackled to the ground by officers less than 200 metres away. A test showed he was over the legal limit for cannabis. The court heard he had three prior convictions: criminal damage, taking a vehicle without consent, and drug driving.
Sentencing
Defending, Amy Edwards said Tunstead had mental health problems, was assessed as a low risk of reoffending, and had a realistic chance of rehabilitation. Judge Nicola Jones sentenced him to eight months in jail, suspended for 12 months, saying: "You had two passengers in the car, who could have been killed that day." He was also given 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirement, banned from driving for three years, ordered to take an extended retest, and pay a statutory surcharge.
