Hull Man Jailed For Dumping Car On Train Tracks

27 April 2012, 15:24 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A hull man, who nearly caused a major disaster after dumping his car on tracks in front of an oncoming train after a police chase, has been jailed.

41 year old Gavin Steed of Sefton Street, drove his Ford Mondeo through 30mph strrets at more than double the speed before driving onto the train line, getting stuck and abandoning the car.

A train, which was just half a mile away, stopped after a police helicopter pilot alerted the driver.

Sentencing Steed at Hull Crown Court, Judge James Sampson described his driving as “dreadful” and said it was lucky no one was injured.

The chase started in west Hull when Steed realised a police car was behind him and “panicked” because he had drugs in his car.

He threw packages of heroin from the car as he drove at speeds of more than 60mph in 30mph zones

Richard Thompson, in mitigation, said Steed “admitted his driving left a lot to be desired”.

Judge Sampson said: “You were oblivious to the obvious dangers. It's fortunate and perhaps surprising, given the dreadful nature of your driving, that no members of the public were in fact injured.''

He continued: “To cap it all, having tried to dispose of your heroin, you drove on to a railway line in a last-ditch, desperate attempt to evade the police. A train was approaching.”

Steed pleaded guilty to three charges last month. He was handed sentences of 12 months for dangerous driving, 12 months for endangering the safety of railway passengers and three months for the possession of a class A drug.