Package of cocaine flung out of car as Hornchurch man led police on high-speed chase
Snaresbrook Crown Court - Credit: Archant
A Horncurch man hurled £200,000 of cocaine out the window of his Range Rover as he led police on a 90mph chase with his pregnant partner and 18-month-old child in the car.
Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that Michael Sheehan drove over a roundabout and swerved across lanes in his Range Rover as he tried to escape police on May 21, this year.
Sentencing him to six years and eight months in prison on Friday July 4, Judge Ms Recorder Sally Hales QC said Sheehan was responsible for ‘an appalling piece of driving’, worsened by the fact his pregnant partner and child had been in the car.
The 40-year-old from Penrith Crescent was in court to be sentenced having pleaded guilty to offences of possession of a class A drug with intent to supply, dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.
Sheenhan had been on the A13 near Barking, Essex, when police tried to flag him down, prompting him to lead them on a two mile chase.
During the chase a package containing 997 grams of cocaine was flung out of the moving Range Rover, Jonathan Foy, prosecuting, told the court.
Sheehan told police he had been offered £500 to drive the cocaine from Kent and had just been trying to “make some money”.
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Sheehan had been disqualified from driving only one month before the chase.
Frida Hussain, defending, said Sheehan had been having ‘financial problems.’
Ms Recorder Hales QC said the offence was aggravated by the presence of Sheehan’s partner and child.
“Your disregard for their safety during that piece of driving was staggering. She said.
Sheehan was jailed for six years for the possession of cocaine with intent to supply with eight months consecutive for dangerous driving. He was also banned from driving for two years.
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