After he was seen speeding through a red light in the early hours of March 31 last year, Terence Ward led police on a chase from Beckenham to West Wickham.
He hit 90mph coming up to the Chinese Garage roundabout and then 110mph on Wickham Way, before he eventually crashed into a bollard on Red Lodge Road.
Ward, 24, of King Henry’s Drive in New Addington, has never held a valid licence but has a history of driving offences.
On the night of the crash Ward explained that he could not sleep so had taken his mum’s car for a drive without her permission.
On Wednesday (March 26) a judge decided not to send Ward to prison for dangerous driving.
Prosecutor Mr Gold told Croydon Crown Court that at 3.22am police officers in marked car saw a grey Mercedes travelling at high speed through a red light.
They followed the car onto Manor Road, where it went through another red light.
When the driver of the Mercedes noticed the police car behind he accelerated and turned onto Wickham Road.
“The car was doing speeds of up to 90mph and continued towards the Chinese Garage roundabout,” Mr Gold said.
The Mercedes then continued onto Wickham Way where police estimate it reached 110mph.
“He then went round a blind corner [on Red Lodge Road] and crashed into the left-hand side of the road. When officers found the car he was inside with the airbag deployed. The car had crashed into a pillar,” Mr Gold said.
Ward was arrested and explained that he had not been able to sleep that night so he took his mum’s car for a drive without her permission.
He explained that he tried to evade police because he was uninsured and unlicensed.
Terence Ward (Image: Met Police) In mitigation, the court heard that Ward had been moving towards a criminal lifestyle during his teenage years but he now works for a road work company and his employer said he’s made an effort to get on the right track.
Judge Elizabeth Smaller told Ward his driving was awful, adding: “You were lucky you weren’t hurt and you were very lucky no one else was hurt.”
But she explained that she was impressed that he is in work and hasn’t offended since this incident last year.
Ward was sentenced to one year in custody, suspended for a year.
He was also disqualified from driving for a year.
