Islanders in car chase following hit-and-run

Judge Graeme McKerrell praised the man, a Mr Bailey, and two others who followed 46-year-old Jason Austen on a high-speed chase through lanes near Saumarez Park.

‘Public spirit should be recognised,’ he said.

Austen, of 19, Sausmarez Street, St Peter Port, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court to admit dangerous driving, drink-driving and failing to stop after an accident.

He was sentenced to a total of 140 hours of community service and banned from driving for 20 months.

The incident happened just after 6.30pm, when a Miss Ogier stopped her car in La Couture, waiting to turn right into La Vrangue.

While she was stationary, Austen smashed into the back of her car with his dark green Land Rover, pushing it forward about five metres.

Mr and Mrs Bailey were in their car at the yellow line in La Vrangue and jumped out to see if everyone was OK.

Mr Bailey went to check on Austen, but as he came around the front of the Land Rover, it started to move forward.

Mr Bailey waved his arms, but the vehicle kept coming. He put his hands on the bonnet and told Austen to stop, but was ignored.

He had to dart away as the vehicle kept coming and three witnesses said they thought Mr Bailey would have been hit if he had not moved so quickly.

Two people in another vehicle saw the Land Rover drive away and followed it, while calling the police.

They lost Austen around Rue Cohu, but then found him the lanes behind Saumarez Park and stayed with him.

Austen admitted driving at up to 50mph while being chased, with the police finally able to stop him in Ruette de la Tour.

A roadside breath test showed he had been drinking and a further test at the police station showed he had 46 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The limit is 35.

In police interview he said he had drunk three or four bottles of beer at the Plough Inn and then rushed to his partner, who, he said, had called saying she was having a panic attack. But later he admitted this was a lie.

He said he had applied his brakes at the junction, but too late to avoid hitting Miss Ogier’s car. He had then panicked and driven off.

Defence advocate Liam Roffey said his client had been very upset by what happened and felt very sorry for what he had done. He added that Austen had never wanted to hurt anyone.

‘Clearly what he did was dangerous, but he never intended to cause Mr Bailey any harm,’ he said.

Austen was now getting help to deal with his problems, Advocate Roffey said.

Judge Graeme McKerrell said Austen had been extremely foolish.

‘This was clearly an epic error of your part,’ he told Austen.

He was confident he would not see Austen, who was treated as someone of previously good character, back before the court.

The defendant had been summonsed for parking on a yellow line, which he admitted. Judge McKerrell decided to impose no separate penalty.