Driver Who Blamed Dog For Speeding Is Jailed

A man who blamed his dog for sitting on the pedals when he was caught driving at nearly 100mph in a 30mph zone has been jailed for 13 months.

Jordan Winn told police his Staffordshire bull terrier was in the footwell of his Volvo S60 sitting on the accelerator pedal last October.

Winn was spotted by a police officer in Chester-le-Street who then set off in pursuit.

Footage played in court showed the police car reached 88mph in an attempt to catch up with Winn over a mile stretch. The officer estimated Winn must have been driving at close to 100mph.

His Volvo could then be seen braking hard and turning right, just missing an oncoming car which had two adults and two children in it.

Winn admitted dangerous driving at a previous hearing, During sentencing at Durham Crown Court, the judge said "You advanced an utterly ludicrous account on which you were to insist for over a year. You told the police officer the reason you drove in that manner is because the dog that was in your vehicle was jumping around and became trapped beneath your foot."

That claim was dismissed at the previous hearing, known as a trial of issue.

Sentencing the 23-year-old, the judge said he would be failing the public if he did not immediately jail him.

"Your driving was extremely dangerous and it is just a matter of pure good fortune that nobody was seriously injured or killed during what was I am quite sure a police pursuit."

The judge said he was not being punished for the "ludicrous defence" he put forward, but for the potential harm he caused to others.