Three men jailed following police chase through Northwich

Three men who led police on a dangerous pursuit through the streets of Northwich have been jailed.

The trio appeared at were all sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday 7 February where they were sentenced to the following -

• Saul Blackley, 33, of Goldrill Avenue, Bolton – sentenced to 12 months in prison for burglary other than a dwelling and possession of a class B drug (Cannabis)
• Jordan Buckle, 24, of Dickinson Street West, Horwich, Bolton - sentenced to 12 months in prison for burglary other than a dwelling. Also banned from driving for three years and nine months for failing to provide a specimen.
• Adam Hodson, 36, of Suffolk Street, Salford - sentenced to 12 months in prison for burglary other than a dwelling and failing to provide a specimen.

All three men had previously pleaded guilty to all the charges against them.

During the hearing the court heard how, at around 12.30am on Friday 5 August 2022, police were made aware of an ongoing burglary at an e-bike shop on Hollands Road, Northwich.

The caller reported that the unit had been rammed and a number of high value bikes had been stolen.

Officers were quickly deployed to the scene and while on-route a quick-thinking officer spotted a white Volkswagen Crafter van which was travelling at speed near to Leicester Street Roundabout.

The officer decided to pursue the vehicle as it travelled along Manchester Road and into Lostock Gralam.

The trio eventually abandoned the vehicle after the drove into Cedar Close, which is a dead-end road. The men all attempted to flee the scene on foot to evade police.

However, officers flooded the area and all three men were quickly arrested after being found hiding in nearby gardens.

Officers also recovered all of the stolen items inside the abandoned van and discovered clothing and gloves worn by the suspects dumped nearby.

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Claire Heatley, of Northwich Proactive Team, said:

“The actions of these three men had a significant impact on the business. Not only did the men steal almost £10,000 worth of stock, but they also caused significant damage to the exterior of building, which resulted in loss of trade and cost almost £18,000 to repair.

“In addition, the business will also be forced to relocate as their landlord refused to renew the lease at the end of the current term because of the burglary.

“Thankfully, as a result of the quick-thinking officer, and the subsequent investigation, all three men have now been held accountable for their actions and all of the stolen items have been recovered and returned.

“I hope that the conclusion of this case will provide some closure to the business owners, and also acts as reassurance to other local residents and businesses, demonstrating how we are committed to doing all we can to tackle burglary.

“I also hope that the sentence acts as a warning to any other criminals planning to come across the border and target Northwich – the message is clear we will be waiting for you and we will get you.”