100mph, 20-minute police pursuit ends with a crash – and later with jail

Darren Thurling, 46, caught the attention of officers for having no insurance as he drove his Audi A4 along Kings Hedges Road, in Cambridge, at about 1.40am on August 23.

The pursuit that followed lasted for 20 minutes and covered 20 miles.

Thurling went through red lights, undertook vehicles and travelled at speeds of up to 70mph in a 30mph zone as he drove towards the A14.

Darren Thurling hit 100mph in a 40mph zone while travelling towards the A10 north of Ely (Image: Cambs Police)

He hit 100mph in a 40mph zone while travelling towards the A10 north of Ely and then drove the wrong side of a keep-left bollard and on the wrong side of a roundabout.

Officers attempted to pass him but Thurling swerved to block them and continued towards Stretham, going the wrong way around a roundabout and narrowly missing a lorry.

Thurling drove through Wicken, continued along the A1123 towards Soham and veered onto the wrong side of the road.

Finally, in Fordham Road, Soham, Thurling hit a brick wall after his vehicle had been in collision with the police car and a lamp post, setting the Audi’s airbags off.

Thurling, of The Causeway, Soham, appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on September 16 where he was jailed for a year.

He was also disqualified from driving for three years and six months after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, fail to provide specimen and driving without a licence and insurance.

PC Emily Ingle, who investigated, said: “Thurling’s driving was very dangerous. This incident could have ended with him being pulled over for having no insurance but instead there was a 20-minute pursuit in which he put himself and other road users at great risk.”

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