Man charged following police chase involving van stolen in Wellingborough

At about 9.30am on Saturday (January 6), roads policing officers patrolling the A11 southbound in the vicinity of Red Lodge became aware of a Ford Transit van which had been taken without consent from a hotel car park in Wellingborough at about 12am the same morning.

The officers requested the van to stop, but instead going around a roundabout and joining the northbound carriageway.

The pursuit then continued along the A11 towards Thetford until a stinger device was successfully deployed at the roundabout with B1107 Brandon Road.

The van then turned off the A11 onto the B1107, when it came to a stop at about 9.45am and the driver was arrested and taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre for questioning.

Lloyd Ward, 28, of Melbourne Road, Chester, has subsequently been charged with the following three offences in connection with the incident:

- Aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving

- Driving with excess alcohol

- Driving without insurance

He appeared before Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday (December 8), where he pleaded guilty to the offences, was given an interim disqualification from driving and was bailed for sentencing at Ipswich Crown Court on a date to be fixed.