Dramatic video shows moment drug driver with no licence reaches speeds of over 80mph on residential streets

Dramatic video shows the moment a drug driver with no licence reached speeds of over 80mph on residential streets before telling police, “I’m a ******* idiot”.

On May 13 2024, police in Ellesmere Port attempted to stop a Volkswagen Golf after it was reported to have previously failed to stop for officers in Merseyside. The vehicle failed to stop again and reached speeds of more than 90mph in a 30mph zone. The vehicle went the wrong way round a roundabout and, due to excess speed, officers lost sight of the car.

A marker was placed on the vehicle, and it was subsequently spotted by officers on Stanney Lane two days later, at around 10.25pm on May 15. Aware of police presence, the vehicle turned right onto Flatt Lane, increasing in speed and failing to stop.

A pursuit was declared, with the vehicle travelling at over 80mph through 30mph zones, running red traffic lights and travelling through junctions at high speed, before decamping near Edward Street.

Officers gave chase on foot and stopped the driver in question, who was later confirmed to be Stuart Whittaker. He was arrested and confirmed to only hold a provisional licence.

Whittaker was also found to be drug driving, with 212 micrograms of benzoylecgonine per litre of blood – the limit is 50 – plus 32 micrograms of cocaine per litre of blood, over the limit which is 10.

Whittaker appeared at Chester Magistrates’ Court on September 10 where he pleaded guilty to drug driving. The sentence imposed was added to the previously imposed sentence by Chester Crown Court in June this year for the same incident where he was convicted of dangerous driving and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Stuart Whittaker, 40, of Beech Grove, Whitby in Ellesmere Port, has now been sentenced to a total of 16 months in prison and disqualified from driving for a period of five years and eight months.