Charlie Foster, from Lansdown Road in Faringdon, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court for driving a motor vehicle dangerously, driving without third-party insurance, and driving while disqualified. The 24-year-old was apprehended on January 19 for exceeding speed limits and driving the wrong way around a roundabout in Faringdon during a police chase.
Judge Ian Pringle sentenced Foster to 15 months in prison, remarking that Foster’s actions constituted “an extremely dangerous piece of driving” and noting his poor record of offenses as justification for the custodial sentence.
The incident began when police identified his vehicle, previously involved in an aggravated burglary, in Faringdon. Foster evaded the officers by speeding up to 30mph over the limit in a 20mph zone, traveling towards Park Road, and incorrectly navigating a roundabout.
Despite running over a police-deployed stop belt that punctured two tyres, Foster continued driving, discarding objects including a hammer from the car window. The pursuit concluded after Foster drove over another stop belt, immobilizing the vehicle. He attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended in a nearby garden by a police dog.
A passenger in the car faced unrelated charges. The court was informed of Foster’s 12 prior convictions for 22 offenses, including dangerous driving and driving while disqualified last year.
Foster’s defense argued his actions were driven by “stupidity and immaturity”, noting that a pre-sentence report suggested he could be successfully managed within the community under court orders. His solicitor emphasized that Foster recognized the impact of his crimes on others, including the taxpayer and his partner.
In addition to the prison sentence, Foster received a driving disqualification of two years and eight months. He was also in breach of a suspended sentence from Berkshire Magistrates’ Court imposed last August.
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