90-minute police chase through streets of city

A DRIVER led police on a 90-minute pursuit around the streets of Swansea which saw him racing through residential roads, ramming cop cars, driving on the wrong side of a dual carriageway, and at one stage briefly becoming "airborne" when his car crashed through a roundabout.

- JASON EVANS

Adam Hopkins refused to leave his cell to attend his sentencing hearing at Swansea Crown Court and a judge decided to sentence him in his absence, saying that by not going into the dock the defendant had continued to show his "contempt" for the criminal justice system.

Caitlyn Jones, prosecuting, told the court that at 11pm on October 24 police officers in Cockett in Swansea started following a Mercedes C-class car as it made its way towards Fforestfach. The court heard the Mercedes began to increase its speed as it drove through Ravenhill and officers illuminated blue lights and signalled for it to stop.

Instead the Mercedes sped away and a pursuit developed which would last for the next hour-and-a-half.

The court heard Hopkins raced through the residential streets of Penlan, Blaenymaes and Portmead at speeds hitting 60mph and police called in a helicopter from the National Police Air Service to help track the fleeing vehicle.