![\"Walsh](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_Man-led-police-on-a-16-minute-chase-before-deliberately-crashing-into-them.jpg\")
Walsh was seen to drive the opposite way round a roundabout on Broadoak Road, Ashton-under-Lyne(Image: Google Maps)<\/p>\nBenjamin Walsh drove through red lights and veered onto the wrong side of the road during a police chase through Dukinfield and AshtonWalsh was seen to drive the opposite way round a roundabout on Broadoak Road, Ashton-under-Lyne(Image: Google Maps)<\/p>\n
A man led police on a 16-minute high-speed chase before deliberately crashing into them. Benjamin Walsh was spotted undertaking cars when officers were pursuing another vehicle.<\/p>\n
He then drove through four separate red lights, drove on the wrong side of the road before going the opposite way round a roundabout. The 37-year-old eventually drove into a residential area at speeds of 50mph before stopping and deliberately reversing back into the police vehicle.<\/p>\n
Join our Court and Crime WhatsApp group HERE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n He was caught up with and arrested shortly after. When officers searched his van, they discovered it was on false registration plates and had been specially adapted to siphon fuel from lorries.<\/p>\n Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court heard that Walsh, of Oldham<\/a>, had reverted back to crime after his family had fallen into ‘financial pressure’.<\/p>\n Jailing him the father-of-three for 26 months, Judge Joanne Woodward told him: “That does not distinguish you from many others, who do not commit crime to purchase their children’s school uniform.”<\/p>\n Van was spotted driving ‘dangerously’<\/p>\n The court heard that officers were on patrol on August 17 this year when they noticed Walsh’s van driving dangerously. The pursuit continued throughout Dukinfield and Ashton<\/a>, said prosecutor Naomi Duckworth.<\/p>\n Summarising his driving, she said: “He drove on the opposing side of the central reservation, causing other motorists to take evasive actions. He reached speeds of 70mph in a 30mph zone, went through a red light at a blind junction before going through another red traffic light at a roadworks.<\/p>\n “He then drove in the opposing direction round a roundabout, overtook a Mercedes which causing him to temporarily lose control before going through another red traffic light at 50mph without braking.”<\/p>\n The court heard that Walsh went onto collide with a parked car whilst failing to give way, before coming to a sudden stop and reversing at the police car. The car was damaged due to the collision, and other officers took over.<\/p>\n Walsh was caught up with after crashing the van. “Officers found a large cannister and a fuel light, and investigations showed it had been used as an operation to steal fuel from other vehicles,” said Ms Duckworth. He told officers at the scene: “I should not have done it.”<\/p>\n Get news, views and analysis of the biggest stories with the daily Mancunian Way newsletter – sign up <\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Sonya O’Brien, mitigating, said: “This could have been a very different situation. He is remorseful and he is embarrassed of his behaviour. There was financial pressure on the family at the time, and he reverted back to criminal behaviour, namely going to petrol stations and stealing petrol to sell on.”<\/p>\n![\"Minshull](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0_Minshull-Street-Crown-Court-2JPG.jpg\")
Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester city centre(Image: MEN Media)<\/p>\n