Three men have been sentenced after damaging police vehicles while trying to flee from officers in Wiltshire.
A trio of suspects wearing balaclavas and gloves were arrested and taken into custody on November 19, 2024, after police stopped their vehicle on Swan Road in Pewsey.
Officers believed the car had stolen plates and, during the stop, the driver rammed a police vehicle head-on before reversing into a second police car and then driving into a third which had arrived to box it in.
A Wiltshire Police spokesperson praised the collaborative effort between various policing teams and a neighbouring police force for helping to safely catch and arrest the fleeing vehicle which was being driven in a way that put officers and road users at risk.
After the arrests, police seized several items – including tools, a fire extinguisher, and cloned plates - which suggested that the three men had gone equipped to steal or had been involved in criminality.
The defendants appeared at Winchester Crown Court for sentencing on September 26.
Bernie Ward, 25, of Marlow Road in Buckinghamshire, was charged with handling stolen goods, going equipped to steal/commit theft, dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified. He received a 12-month jail sentence and 30-month driving ban.
John Ward, 22, of Station Approach in Ashford, Surrey, was charged with handling stolen goods, and going equipped to steal or commit theft. He received a 12-month prison sentence which has been for 18 months, and must complete 120 hours of unpaid work.
Wesley Ward, 25, of High Street in Slough, received a 12-month community order and must complete 80 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to going equipped to steal/commit theft.
PC Ellie Lewis said: “These individuals were determined to evade police, and damaged three police vehicles in their desperate attempts to flee.
“The manner of driving by Bernie Ward fell well below that expected of a competent driver and put officers and road users at risk.
“As all three defendants did not give an account, we will never know what they were planning to do or where they had been on the night they were stopped.
“Communication from Thames Valley Police combined with the swift actions of several Wiltshire Police departments, namely, Local Policing Tasking Team, Roads Policing unit, Spec Ops, Dog section, and local response ensured the defendants were safely apprehended and arrested.”
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