Wrexham joyriders took police on high speed chase through Flintshire reaching speeds of 100mph in 30mph zone

Harry Povey, 18, and Patrick Hadley, 19, reached speeds of 100mph in 30mph zones and forced oncoming traffic to take evasive action as they tore away from a police patrol pursuing them through Northop, Mold and Caergwrle.

Povey was handed a 12-month sentence in a young offenders’ institution with Judge Nicholas Parry telling him he had one of the worst records he had seen for motoring offences for someone so young.

Screenshots, above and below, of dashcam footage during police chase of Harry Povey and Patrick Hadley near Caergwrle. Courtesy of Crown Prosecution Service

Hadley, the passenger in the stolen Vauxhall Zafira, received a four-month sentence in a young offenders’ institution which the judge suspended for 12 months.

The pair sped along country roads, overtaking vehicles and forcing others to dodge out of the way. They careered the wrong way around the Wylfa Roundabout on the A541 at Mold and through red lights.

The teenagers even threw a large plastic crate and a football out of the stolen people carrier as police gave pursuit.

Eventually officers deployed a stinger device near the Holly Bush pub at Cefn-Y-Bedd, although Povey still managed to drive the vehicle onwards towards Wrexham until a tyre came off and he, Hadley and another unidentified offender made off on foot.

Judge Parry told the pair at Mold Crown Court: “Your families looking down on this (from the public gallery) will be thinking 'You are going to kill yourself' – that’s what happens when appalling driving like this occurs.”

And the judge told Povey: “There could be catastrophic consequences as you have done this so often.

“It is one of the worst records I’ve seen for motoring offences in someone so young.

“This was a prolonged police chase involving numerous manoeuvres of dangerous driving. Speeds of up to 100mph in 30mph zones - and oncoming traffic had to avoid collisions.

“It is quite remarkable that you were both able to run away from that vehicle.”

Prosecuting barrister Nicholas Williams said the Zafira was stolen from outside the owner's Wrexham home with neighbours' CCTV footage showing the vehicle being taken at 3pm on May 26 after the defendants took a key from a door hook.

The following day the Zafira was spotted on the A5119 and was followed through Northop but sped away from police.

“They went through a red light and continued on to Sychdyn at speeds between 80 and 100mph,” said the prosecutor.

“They went the wrong way around a roundabout at Mold and carried out a number of overtakes with vehicles coming in the opposite direction having to brake and swerve to avoid collision.

“At Pontblyddyn they overtook on a blind bend at 80mph in a 30mph zone and then on the dual carriageway to Wrexham they went on the wrong side of the road.”

Harry Povey was handed a 12-month sentence in a young offenders’ institution

Eventually, the Zafira came to a halt in Gwersyllt after the impact with the police tyre deflation device shredded its tyres.

Povey and Hadley were caught soon after running up a track, but the third offender who was travelling in the stolen car was not found.

Povey, of Montrose Gardens, Wrexham pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Hadley, of Tryweryn Place, Wrexham admitted aggravated vehicle theft.

The court was told that Povey’s 16 previous convictions included those for aggravated vehicle taking and driving while banned.

Hadley had been recalled to a YOI in March shortly before the incident after failing to comply with an attendance and training order.

Defence barrister Mark Connor tried to persuade the judge not to send Povey to custody.

He said the defendant was motivated to “change direction” and had reunited with his former partner with whom he recently had a child with.

“His childhood experiences are described as “traumatic and neglectful”. And while he has an appalling record for someone so young he is vulnerable and there is evidence he has been criminally exploited,” said Mr Connor.

“When his relationship came to an end he couldn’t handle the emotional stress that caused and he returned to type.”

Povey was banned from the road for 30 months, while Hadley received a 12-month driving ban and a two-month curfew between the hours of 6.30pm and 6am.