A crazed driver reached deadly speeds of 110mph as he attempted to escape police before crashing his car into a pub wall, narrowly avoiding a group of bystanders playing pool. Customers watched in horror as the Landrover Discovery crashed into The Lockside pub in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
After the smash, Jamie Kettle, 37, sped off and waded into a nearby canal as he attempted to avoid being caught by cops.
However, he was soon located thanks to specialist dog officers, and then arrested.
Before the incident, cops were called amid a report a Landrover Discovery had been stolen from an address in Woodthorpe.
Officers quickly spotted the vehicle as it sped along the A614 towards Ollerton, before turning off onto the A57.
Once on that road, the Kettle saw the car reach speeds of up to 110mph in a 60mph limit zone, sparking police into activating their blue lights.
Kettle, though, continued to drive dangerously, and overtook cares at high speeds, ignoring red lights as he drove through the town of Worksop.
But his speed became too fast and he failed to navigate a junction before he collided with a pub wall.
The carnage unfolded on March 27 this year, and he was eventually charged with aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and without insurance and criminal damage to the pub.
He was also slapped with two counts of theft from a shop – committed in Harworth on February 22 and March 2.
Kettle has since pleaded guilty and will be sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on December 8.
Sergeant Clint Gloyn, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Kettle’s dangerous and erratic driving showed utter disregard for the safety of others.”
He added: “He continued to drive at speed in highly populated built-up areas before crashing into the pub.
“There were numerous people inside the pub at the time and also walking through the town centre.
“Extensive structural damage was caused to the pub but thankfully no-one was injured.
“I’m glad we were able to bring this case before the courts and show that this type of criminality is unacceptable and offenders who put other people’s safety at risk in this way will be robustly dealt with.”
