Teenager sentenced after driving into oncoming traffic and ‘ramming …

A teenage driver was sentenced to ten months of detention in a young offenders' institution after ramming into a police car before leading police on a "high-speed pursuit". The teenager, 18-year-old Arthur Greenslade of no fixed address, was charged with multiple offences across the county including incidents of dangerous driving, possession of a bladed article and aggravated vehicle taking.

In Lewes Crown Court on August 11, it was heard how Greenslade originally caused concern for residents in Beachcroft Place, Lancing^[1], on October 18 last year. As a result, a PCSO attended the scene in a police vehicle, which Greenslade then drove a yellow Peugeot into "deliberately".

After "reversing and ramming the police vehicle" before leaving the area, Greenslade then drove on the A264 towards Horsham where he failed to stop for police. In footage from that night, the teenager can be seen driving into oncoming traffic at excess speed, as well as through red lights and the wrong way around a roundabout.

Specialist officers from Sussex Police^[3]’s Roads Policing Unit (RPU), Tactical Firearms Unit (TFU), and Dogs Unit worked together to bring the vehicle safely to a stop at about 2am on October 19 last year on the A259 Brighton Road in Shoreham. Adur and Worthing District Commander Chief Inspector Sarah Leadbeatter said: “This incident shows some of the challenges faced by our officers and PCSOs on a daily basis.

“The suspect vehicle was identified, and officers in the area from different units demonstrated great teamwork. They acted swiftly to bring the suspect vehicle safely to a stop and prevent it from posing a risk of harm to other road users. The officers then detained those inside the vehicle.”

In another incident on February 11 this year, Greenslade was stopped in Adastra Park in Hassocks after decamping from a vehicle. In this incident, Greenslade was found in possession of a knife.

Then on May 9 this year, the Co-op reported a shop theft at a store in Old London Road, Brighton, with officers from the Roads Policing Unit using information to be able to identify a suspect vehicle a short while later in Lewes Road, Brighton.

The vehicle drove away from officers at high speed and through a red light. Later, officers from the Tactical Firearms Unit joined RPU colleagues on the M23, where the vehicle continued to "drive erratically", swerving across lanes of busy traffic.

The National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopter was called to provide help before Greenslade drove into a slip road near Kings Cross Lane near Reigate and fled from the vehicle into surrounding fields. Four occupants including Greenslade were pursued across fields and arrested.

Superintendent Rachel Glenton, head of roads policing for Surrey and Sussex Police, said: “Our RPU officers identified a vehicle that had been involved in an offence 30 minutes earlier. Officers from the RPU and from our Tactical Firearms Units at both Lewes and Gatwick were able to detain the four suspects.

“Once again, our officers showed great teamwork and professionalism to safely stop the vehicle before any harm was caused to the occupants or to other road users. Greenslade was also carried as a passenger on June 1, 2022 when the vehicle reversed into another vehicle and caused damage.

"He was also sentenced for an affray on March 31, 2023 in Orpington." In total, the teenager admitted two counts of possessing a bladed article in a public place, two counts of dangerous driving, one count of affray, one count of aggravated vehicle taking, and one count of assault by beating of an emergency worker.

Before the hearing, it was noted that Greenslade had 11 previous convictions for 34 offences. He will now serve ten months in a young offenders' institution.

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References

1. ^{^} Lancing (www.sussexlive.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Boy, 16, charged after involvement in police pursuit crash that left 3 injured (www.sussexlive.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Sussex Police (www.sussexlive.co.uk)
4. ^{^} press here to sign up (www.sussexlive.co.uk)