Collared: e-scooter rider jailed after dog leads officers to owner who failed to stop for police

Charles Foy appeared at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Friday 7 August, where he was sentenced to three months imprisonment and banned from driving for four years and three months.

Foy, of Beaconsfield Road, Runcorn, had previously been found guilty of failing to stop for police, driving whilst disqualified, using a motor vehicle without insurance and failing to provide a drug test during a one-day trial in March 2026.

The court heard that in February of this year, an officer on patrol spotted the 41-year-old riding an e-scooter, a vehicle that cannot be insured and is illegal to use on public roads, with two dogs running alongside him.

The officer noted that there was also a considerable smell of cannabis coming from the rider and, based on these observations, indicated that Foy pull over.

However, Foy actively ignored this and made attempts to escape the pursuing officer by driving down cul-de-sacs and narrow alleyways.

During his escape attempt, one of the dogs running alongside the scooter, a labrador, fell behind – unable to keep up with the high speeds of the e-scooter.

The officer then exited the patrol car and then followed the distressed animal to an address on Beaconsfield Road. At the property, which appeared to be unoccupied, the second dog that had been running alongside Foy appeared at a ground floor window.

After several attempts to rouse any occupants inside the address to come to the door, officers entered the property and conducted a search. A short time later they would come across an open loft hatch and find Foy underneath several pieces of insulation.

The 41-year-old claimed he had been asleep in the loft due to the overcrowded nature of the property and that he had not been out riding the e-scooter that night.

He would also tell officers during interview that he was unaware that police cars were fitted with sirens.

PC Mike Smith, of Runcorn Response, said:

"Whilst Foy showed no loyalty to his own dog as he attempted to make good his escape from pursuing police, the pup ultimately remained loyal and provided us with a vital lead - taking us straight to the address of his master.

"The custodial sentence and the four-plus-year road ban handed to Foy reflects the serious nature of the offences he committed. Not only did he appear to be riding under the influence of substances that could severely impair his reaction times, but the fact of the matter is that he was riding an illegal vehicle that can reach considerable speeds in a matter of seconds and can have devastating effects should a collision occur.

"Vehicles like e-scooters and e-bike cannot be ridden on public roads due to the fact that they cannot be insured. In these cases, they may actually be classed as a motor vehicle, meaning the rider would need a licence, insurance and a helmet - something many riders like Foy do not possess."