Wedding guest in police chase

7:28am Monday 28th January 2008

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A DRUNKEN wedding guest borrowed a friend's car without her knowledge after the reception to get cigarettes at a service station.

But as David Twine approached a roundabout by the A27 in the early hours of the following morning, police flashed their lights at him to stop because he wasn't wearing a seat belt.

Prosecutor Richard Withey described how the 22-year-old then tried to flee, hurtling at more than double the 30mph speed limit along the road.

Twine eventually turned into West End Road, again accelerating away from the police.

In his increasingly desperate attempt to get away, he once mounted a kerb after turning right and then in a similar manoeuvre narrowly missed a parked car, before driving down a cul-de-sac.

He ran off but was spotted hiding behind a hedge.

He then took to his heels again before being brought to the ground some 50 yards away.

Mr Withey said a breath test revealed he was more than three and a half times the drink-drive limit.

Twine, of Windermere Road, West End, admitted the aggravated taking of a car and driving with excess alcohol. Jailing him for 16 weeks and disqualifying him from driving for three years.

Mitigating at Southampton Crown Court, Gary Venturi said Twine was ashamed and shocked at what he had done.Twine was also ordered to take an extensive re-test.