(Image: Durham Constabulary)
A slurring man berated a woman he'd just crashed into when trying a dangerous double overtake while still trapped in the wreckage of his own car.
When an off-duty police officer approached Shaun Maurice Kelsey's Vauxhall Astra after the crash near the brow of a hill, he said it stank of stale beer.
The officer was one of the drivers Kelsey overtook prior to the double collision.
He checked on the welfare of those involved in the collision, before speaking to Kelsey in his car.
The crash happened on Pit Lane, between New Brancepeth and Brandon, at 1.45pm on February 18, Durham Crown Court was told.
Prosecutor Zaiban Alam said witnesses saw Kelsey fail to negotiate a sharp bend near the hill’s brow while overtaking in his Astra, hitting an oncoming Mini and a Mazda.
After the crash, Kelsey swore at the Mazda driver, challenged others to fight and tried to rev his engine to escape, but the car would not move.
The officer smelled stale beer on approaching the Astra, while Kelsey, who had slurred speech, claimed to have drunk three cans of beer.
Other officers arrived and arrested Kelsey, who was first taken to hospital for treatment for his injuries.
Although he was cleared to give police a blood sample, Kelsey refused, saying he did not want to, was scared and believed officers were wasting their time.
Ms Alam said Kelsey continued blaming the Mazda driver even after he was taken into custody.
The Mazda driver was taken to A&E with a wrist injury, while the Mini driver suffered minor neck pain.
Ms Alam said the Mazda was written off but the Mini was repaired.
Kelsey, 41, of Linden Park, Brandon, admitted dangerous driving and refusing to provide a blood sample.
The court heard he has three previous dangerous driving convictions on his record, plus one for driving while disqualified.
Kelsey’s lawyer, Tony Davis, said the Probation Service’s pre-sentence report, “presents a relatively stark appraisal of the position the defendant finds himself in”, given his driving history and the crash.
Mr Davis said Kelsey pleaded guilty despite his claims at the time.
But he has since shown “a level of remorse”, although he could not remember the incident.
Mr Davis said the crash followed bad personal news, Kelsey drank heavily the night before and had also taken diazepam.
Judge Aisha Wadoodi told Kelsey his driving that day was “appalling” and had “serious consequences for a number of people involved”.
“Not surprisingly, it’s not just the physical injuries, but the psychological effects.”
She said Kelsey remained aggressive not only at the crash scene but still when he was taken to hospital.
Read more:
- Dad of teen killed in horror A66 smash attacked celebrant at son's funeral
- Newton Aycliffe pervert raped sleeping woman before begging her not to report attack
- WATCH - Driver fined and handed points after pulling across path of two HGVs on A1(M)
The judge noted the Probation Service assessment that Kelsey poses a high risk of harming other road users in future.
Judge Wadoodi jailed Kelsey for 18 months and banned him from driving for four years.
Kelsey was previously jailed for 12 months in 2020 after a high-speed police pursuit during which he drove on a cycle path and nearly collided with a cyclist.