Kensit [2018] EWCA Crim 2672

The appellant was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for dangerous driving with six months’ consecutive for a Bail Act offence. The driving was said to be relatively short in duration, but the appellant had a bad record of driving offences and had driven deliberately at the police as if to ram them, although there was no collision. The Court of Appeal said that although the sentence for the driving was substantial it was not excessive in the circumstances.

A consecutive sentence for the Bail Act offence was “inevitable”, the appellant had sought to avoid an appearance in court and the trial had proceeded in his absence. The sentence was, however, excessive and was reduced to one of three months. The defence argument in respect of the length of disqualification was that he wished to pursue his trade as an electrician and plumber after release. It was accepted that some allowance must be made so that he had some chance of doing so. The disqualification was reduced from 3 years to 21 months.