An uninsured drink driver stuck his middle finger up at police officers before he crashed in a residential area. Shaun Venables overtook an unmarked police car “at speed” during the incident which saw him drive at 50mph in a 20mph zone.
Venables – who was found to be more than double the drink drive limit – later crashed into a fence before making off on foot. A sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, January 6 heard how the incident happened in broad daylight at around 10.30am on June 29, 2024. For the latest court reports, sign up to our crime newsletter here
Emily Jermin, prosecuting, said: “Officers were driving in an unmarked police vehicle along Harris Avenue when a Vauxhall Corsa overtook them at speed. Officers [initiated their] lights and sirens and indicated for the driver to stop. He failed to do so and put his middle finger up out of the window.
“Officers continued to pursue the defendant, who was driving at 50mph in a 20mph zone. Throughout the course of driving the defendant failed to slow down at junctions and increased to go through them to get away from the police.
“On one occasion the defendant nearly lost control of the car and was seen swerving across the road…The length of time the footage captured is not particularly long but at great speed in a residential area.”
Ms Jermin said officers continued to follow the car until it crashed into a wooden post and fence at Trebanog Crescent. She said the owner of the fence paid around £100 in repairs out of her own pocket.
Following the crash, Ms Jermin said 35-year-old Venables left the car and ran away from the scene, while police officers followed him on foot. She said police were later able to establish that although the car was registered in Venables’ name, he was uninsured to drive it.
They also discovered a snap bag of white powder in the vehicle which turned out to be Class A drug cocaine – although there was no evidence to suggest he had used the substance prior to driving that day. Ms Jermin said officers located Venables at a property and conducted a breath test on him, which showed his alcohol level to be 80 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath – more than double the limit of 35 micrograms.
During a subsequent police interview, Ms Jermin said Venables denied being the driver of the car altogether, before later admitting the offences of dangerous driving, possessing a Class A drug, driving above the alcohol limit and driving a car while uninsured. The court heard how Venables has 24 previous convictions for 42 offences, which includes motoring offences.
He has also previously been disqualified from driving, although this had passed by the time of the most recent offending. Defending Venables, Mari Watkins said the defendant has a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation” and showed “genuine remorse” for his actions. She said he spoke candidly in interviews about his struggles with alcohol abuse.
The court heard how Venables – of Richmond Road, Cardiff – said he had got into the car after an argument which had left him in a negative headspace. However, Judge Simon Mills rejected this, adding: “I reject the idea you were in some way affected by an argument with someone. You shouldn’t have been behind the wheel of a vehicle you were not insured to drive.”
He further described Venables’ actions as “highly dangerous”, “selfish” and “outrageous”. He said Venables was “very lucky” to not be sentenced for a more serious offence.
Judge Mills sentenced Venables to 15 months in prison for dangerous driving, with a two month sentence to run concurrently for driving above the alcohol limit. In addition he disqualified Venables from driving for three years, with an extension period of seven months.