Danger driver lands jail term and road ban time

A dangerous driver took a baseball bat from the boot of a car when trapped in a dead end by police, a court heard.

Paul Watson had already thrown an empty lager can at a patrol car which followed him out of Chesterfield late on February 1.

In the incident filmed by the police helicopter, Watson went to the rear of his partner’s BMW, collected the bat and put it into the front of the car. Judge Ebrahim Mooncey said the officers would not have been able to identify it and told Watson: “They must have been fearful what could have happened.”

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He imposed a 14-month prison sentence on Watson, 32, of Edale Road, Mastin Moor who admitted dangerous driving, common assault and having an offensive weapon.

A three-year driving ban was also ordered. Laura Pitman, prosecuting, said Watson’s partner described him as “controlling and jealous”. When she went to a gym with a woman friend, he suspected her of having an affair.

He claimed to have fitted a tracking device to her mobile phone which suggested she had stopped in a lay-by.

He slapped her face and used abusive language on January 30.

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Two nights later, he sent abusive texts to the woman before driving away in her white BMW. It was followed going from Mastin Moor to Renishaw and Killamarsh. A driver had to take evasive action and Watson veered onto the wrong side of the road before turning into a dead end, added Miss Pitman.

Noel Philo, mitigating, said Watson had a softball with the bat in the car so he could play with his children. There was also a minor collision between the BMW and a police car. Watson claimed an officer reversed into the path of his car.

It was Watson’s third conviction for dangerous driving.

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