Latest news with #NissanJuke
Wales Online
11 hours ago
- Health
- Wales Online
80mph driver went on wrong side of dual carriageway and through red lights after 'stupid decision'
80mph driver went on wrong side of dual carriageway and through red lights after 'stupid decision' A judge said it was 'a miracle' that nobody was killed by Brandon Silk's 'frankly appalling' driving A driver who had taken cocaine and cannabis "did everything he could" to escape from police as he led officers on a high-speed pursuit, a court has heard. Brandon Silk hit speeds of 80mph during the chase, went through multiple red lights, raced along residential streets, and drove along the wrong side of the dual carriageway outside Swansea Prison as he tried to flee. A judge at Swansea Crown Court described Silk's driving as "frankly appalling" and said it was "a miracle" that nobody had been seriously injured or killed as a result. The 23-year-old's barrister told the court her client was "deeply ashamed" of his behaviour. Alexandra Wilson, prosecuting, told the court that in the early hours of October 10 last year firearms officers on routine patrol in Swansea city centre signalled for a Nissan Juke vehicle being driven along Oystermouth Road to pull over. She said instead of stopping, the driver of the Juke accelerated away and a police pursuit of the vehicle was authorised. Silk is pictured driving the wrong way along West Way in Swansea (Image: CPS Cymru ) Article continues below The court heard that a short time later an officer in an unmarked car in Neath Road spotted the Nissan and joined the pursuit, following the fleeing car as it sped through the residential streets of Hafod before heading towards Dyfatty and taking Cwm Road where it hit speeds of 70mph. Silk then turned right onto Llangyfelach Road before taking Pentre Mawr Road heading back towards Hafod, where he took the dedicated Hafod bus route into the city centre at speeds touching 80mph. The prosecutor said Silk then sped down High Street and The Strand and turned right onto Oystermouth Road - going through multiple red lights at junctions along the way. Silk going through a red light at the junction of Clarence Street and West Way (Image: CPS Cymru ) The defendant then crossed onto the wrong side of the dual carriageway and sped past Swansea Prison before turning right and effectively doing laps through the residential area of Sandfields. The prosecutor said the pursuit came to an end in Dilwyn Street as Silk headed for The Kingsway - an area the prosecutor said was busy with students at the time - where police cars boxed the Nissan in. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter The court heard that Silk tested positive for cannabis and cocaine at the scene and subsequent blood tests showed the presence of cocaine at the level of 130mg per litre of blood and cannabis at the level of 77mg per litre, the legal limits being 50mg and 2mg respectively for the drugs. Silk driving between bollards in Hafod (Image: CPS Cymru ) When searched he was found to be in possession of a small amount of cannabis. The defendant answered "no comment" to all questions asked in interview. Brandon Silk, of Caernarvon Way, Bonymaen, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, two counts of drug-driving, and possession of cannabis when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has no previous convictions. Georgia Donohue, for Silk, said the driving before the court could only be described as "reckless and stupid" and said the defendant was "deeply ashamed" of what he did. She said on the night in question her client had "lost control of his emotions" following an argument about his late father and took the "stupid decision" to consume drugs and drive, "something he will regret for the rest of his life". Silk driving down the wrong side of Oystermouth Road towards Swansea Prison (Image: CPS Cymru ) The barrister said Silk had struggled to manage his attention deficit hyper-activity disorder since childhood and had been self-medicating with cannabis, and she said the events of October 10 had been a wake-up call for him. Recorder Christopher Felstead told the defendant his driving had been "frankly appalling" and said it was a "miracle" that nobody had been seriously injured or even killed as a result of it. He said Silk drove at speeds of up to 80mph, went through numerous red lights, "flew across junctions", drove on the wrong side of the road, and travelled at "huge speeds" through residential streets as he "did everything he could to escape" from police. The recorder said the offending clearly crossed the custody threshold and the only real question for the court was whether the prison sentence had to be served immediately. He said the decision was "very finely balanced" but said there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and, on balance, he was prepared to give Silk "the benefit of the doubt". Article continues below With one-third discounts for his guilty pleas Silk was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for 18 months and was made the subject of a mental health treatment requirement and was ordered to complete a rehabilitation course. The defendant was banned from driving for three years and must pass an extended driving test before he can get a licence.
Leader Live
a day ago
- Automotive
- Leader Live
Crews tackle car fires in Chirk as police probe launched
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service (NWFRS) said two crews from Llangollen and Chirk attended the incident at 1.45am on Sunday (June 1). The incident occurred at an area off Holyhead Road in the town, and involved a Peugeot 106, Nissan Juke, Vauxhall Corsa and Nissan X-Trail. NWFRS said the Peugeot was destroyed in the incident, and the other three cars suffered 50 per cent fire damage. Firefighters used hosereel jets, thermal imaging cameras and breathing apparatus to extinguish the fires - which were out by 2.35am. A NWFRS spokesperson said the matter has been referred to North Wales Police for further investigation - with the cause suspected to be deliberate. North Wales Police has been approached for further information.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
U.K. Car Manufacturing Slumps To Its Lowest In Over 70 Years
A hybrid Nissan Juke sports utility vehicle on the production line at the Nissan factory in ... More Sunderland, UK, on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. (Photo: Jose Sarmento Matos) Auto manufacturing in the U.K. has slumped to its lowest for over 70 years in a worrying development for the country's economy, and an industry that has taken a series of knocks in recent years. Data for the month of April, published by U.K. Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders on Friday, indicated that 59,203 vehicles were made in the country. The figure was the lowest April output for more than 70 years, if 2020 is excluded. That year government restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic effectively shuttered production. The April figure was 15.8% lower than the same month last year, and a quarter lower than March, when numbers were likely boosted by manufacturers scrambling to export more cars to the U.S. before President Donald Trump's then imminent move on international trade tariffs was widely being factored in by manufacturers. Car production for exports subsequently by 10.1% in April due to falls in demand from the U.K.'s biggest export markets - the U.S. and E.U. The lowest April output before SMMT's latest data release, if pandemic data is excluded, was back in 1952 when 53,517 vehicles were produced. The group also said the total number of vehicles manufactured in the U.K. for the first four months of this year was the lowest on its record since 2009. The SMMT said a number of factors were behind the production declines including tariffs imposed by U.S. and the timing of the Easter holiday break. However, a U.K and Europe-wide shift in the industry as it grapples with ideas to manage a phased move from petrol cars to electric vehicles was also to blame for the temporarily reduced output, it added. It is a problem that is not unique to the U.K., with auto manufacturers in other major European hubs like France, Germany and Italy grappling with similar strategic concerns. 'New trade deals with E.U., U.S. and India provide opportunities for future growth, but urgent action is needed to bolster U.K. manufacturing competitiveness,' the SMMT warned. Recent trends have been troubling. In 2024, Stellantis - the maker of Vauxhall, Citroen and Peugeot brands - warned it may have to halt production in the U.K. due to uncertainty over the British government's approach to EVs. In recent years, the country has also seen the likes of Ford and Honda shut down their auto manufacturing plants. Responding to the data, Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of SMMT, noted: "With automotive manufacturing experiencing its toughest start to the year since 2009, urgent action is needed to boost domestic demand and our international competitiveness. 'Government has recognised automotive manufacturing's critical role in driving the U.K. economy, having successfully negotiated improved trading conditions for the sector with the U.S., E.U. and India in the space of a month.' But to take advantage of these trading opportunities, U.K. automakers must secure additional investment which will depend on the competitiveness and confidence that can be provided by a comprehensive and innovative long-term industrial strategy, Hawes added. 'Get this right and the jobs, economic growth and decarbonisation [in auto manufacturing] will flow across the U.K.'
ITV News
26-05-2025
- ITV News
Lancashire Police hunt driver after house repeatedly rammed by car in Great Harwood
A significant amount of damage has been caused to a house after a car was deliberately driven into it in the early hours of Sunday 25 May. Lancashire police are appealing for witnesses and footage after the grey Nissan Juke was repeatedly reversed into the property on Reed Avenue in Great Harwood. Officers were called to the scene at 12.56am and found the car had been driven a 'significant way' into the living room of the property, causing substantial damage. There was nobody inside the house at the time and nobody has yet been arrested. DI Heather Martin, of East CID said: 'I understand that neighbours will be shocked and concerned by this incident and I want to reassure the Great Harwood community that we have a dedicated team of officers assigned to this case who are determined to identify those involved and bring them to justice. 'Residents will see officers in the area throughout the day carrying out enquiries. Feel free to approach them and pass on any information or concerns to them. 'Any witnesses or anyone with CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone footage which captured the Nissan Juke in the area before or during the incident is asked to make contact with us. Similarly, we want to hear from anyone with footage which captures anyone running from the area.'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Car 'deliberately reversed' into house many times
A car has been deliberately reversed into a house many times, causing "substantial damage" to the living room. No-one was inside the property in Reed Avenue, Great Harwood, when a grey Nissan Juke was driven into it at about 01:00 BST, Lancashire Police said. Officers found the car had been "driven a significant way into the living room". No-one has been arrested but police are appealing for anyone with information or footage to contact them. A police spokesperson said work was "ongoing to understand the motivation for this attack", which was being treated as an isolated incident. Det Insp Heather Martin added: "I understand that neighbours will be shocked and concerned by this incident and I want to reassure the Great Harwood community that we have a dedicated team of officers assigned to this case who are determined to identify those involved and bring them to justice." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer. Lancashire Police
