Wrong-way driver jailed after 90mph police pursuit
GoogleA speeding driver who swerved through traffic and damaged vehicles during a five-minute police pursuit has been jailed for 14 months.
Callum Hickman hit speeds of up to 90mph (145km/h) as he drove the wrong way on roads and roundabouts between Whippingham and Newport in August 2024, Isle of Wight Crown Court heard.
The 26-year-old from Southampton, who already had 41 previous convictions for 125 offences, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.
Judge James Newton-Price KC said Hickman was a "persistent offender and a dreadful driver".
The judge told the defendant: "You could easily have killed someone driving like that.
"Your driving near schools and leisure centres was so dangerous, the police had to stop the pursuit."
Hickman, who was already disqualified from driving, went to the island to buy the red Citroen C3 for his partner, the court heard.
Afraid of a return to prison, he "panicked" when the vehicle triggered an ANPR camera and police tried to stop him, the judge was told.
Hickman was "extremely remorseful", had a pregnant partner and had just started his first-ever job, his defence barrister said.
His brother died in a car accident at the age of nine, causing personal difficulties, the barrister added.
However, the judge said a custodial sentence was inevitable, adding a three-year driving ban after Hickman's release from prison.
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