Merseyside 125mph chase burglars jailed

10 July 2018, 13:30 | Updated: 10 July 2018, 13:41

Three men from Merseyside who burgled two homes in Rode Heath have been jailed for a total of almost ten years.

Joseph Nee, 31, of Adcote Road, Liverpool; Elliot Brew, 24, of Newton Road, St Helens; and Daniel King, 25, of Bowring Park Avenue, Childwall; appeared at Warrington Crown Court on Monday 9 July, where the judge sentenced them to a total of 9 years and 9 months in prison.

Nee was sentenced to 45 months in prison, Brew to three years in jail and King was also sentenced to three years in prison.

The men had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and two counts of theft of a motor vehicle. Nee also admitted charges of dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving whilst disqualified.

The trio were initially arrested in the early hours of Monday 23 April following a high speed pursuit which started on the A534 Congleton Road in Church Lawton and ended on Station Road, Huyton. During the chase the group reached speeds of up to 125mph as they attempted to evade officers.

Due to the excessive speeds and dangerous driving by the group, officers decided to withdraw from the pursuit, but they continued to monitor the men from above via a police helicopter.

The men eventually came to a stop in Huyton, where all three of them abandoned their vehicle and fled the scene.

Thankfully all three men were promptly arrested by officers from Merseyside Police a short time later.

Following their arrest officers discovered evidence which linked the trio to two burglaries in Rode Heath in which the homeowners’ car was stolen.

The first incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday 22 April. The group broke into a house on Sycamore Avenue and stole a Volkswagen Golf.

The second incident took place on the same night. This time the group targeted a house on Heath Avenue and stole an Audi A1.

Both of the stolen vehicles have since been recovered.

Following their arrests the group denied any involvement in the incidents. However, after hearing all of the evidence that had been gathered, the men pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them.

Following the sentencing Detective Constable Dave Newton said: “This is a great result and I welcome the sentences that have been handed to Brew, King and Nee.

“These men showed no regard for the victims in this case, targeting them in their homes – the place they should be able to feel most safe.

“On top of that they then put the lives of innocent motorists at risk by driving dangerously and at excessive speeds on a number of roads across Cheshire and Merseyside.

“Thankfully, following great teamwork and a thorough investigation, all three men are now behind bars.”

Detective Inspector Claire Jesson added: “This has been a complex case and I would like to pay tribute to all of the officers and staff who have been involved in the investigation, including our colleagues at Merseyside Police who assisted with the arrests.

“These men had no concern for the impact their crimes would have on their victims and truly believed they were above the law. Thankfully, as a result of the dedication of all those involved in the investigation, they are now facing the consequences of their actions.

“I hope that the sentences handed to these men provide reassurance for the local community and puts off other people from coming to Cheshire to commit crimes.”