A MAN has avoided jail after fleeing police in a high-speed car chase on the A4 in Thatcham.

Rodney Cox, of The Cedars, Slough, was travelling over 100mph on the A4 Bath Road on June 3 last year while disqualified, uninsured and with false number plates.

Police were pursuing the 30-year-old in his Audi but had to abandon the chase due to the high speeds.

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At Reading Crown Court on Thursday (March 30), Cox was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for dangerous driving suspended for two years.

On the day of the incident, police were alerted to a car driving with false plates with a rear wheel deflated. Officers pursued Cox who began speeding in a 30 to 40mph speed zone.

After fleeing police, Cox was then caught on CCTV abandoning the car after taking off the false plates. He was later arrested on August 10.

It then transpired that Cox was also driving uninsured and whilst disqualified for two years following a conviction in 2021.

His defence counsel told the court that Cox had been suffering from mental health issues following the death of his brother in a dangerous driving incident.

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Sentencing Cox, Recorder Kirsty Brimelow KC said: “I’ve seen some of the dash cam footage of the dangerous driving and it was at the high level of dangerous driving in terms of seriousness the speeds were such that the chase had to be abandoned.

“You’re now 30 years old, you have 24 previous convictions for 60 offences including driving offences. You have more or less double the previous convictions to your age.

“However, there is a very full pre-sentence report on your behalf. Your background is one of some tragedy and your current life has had different tragic events in it including your brother who was killed in a dangerous driving accident.

“That in itself Mr Cox should send a message to not to put other people at risk as you did on that day driving at speeds and heading towards a village.”

She sentenced Cox for 12 months imprisonment for dangerous driving, suspended for two years. There was also a concurrent sentence of three months imprisonment for driving while disqualified.

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He faced no separate penalty for the lack of insurance and fraud. He is also disqualified from driving for two years and will have to pass an extended driving test.

Concluding, Recorder Brimelow said: “It’s up to you now.”