Southampton man jailed after stolen car chase ends in airborne crash
A 21-year-old Southampton man was sentenced to twelve months in prison after leading police on a dangerous 100mph chase whilst driving a stolen car along the A303 in Wiltshire. Ben Marchant's reckless attempt to evade officers endangered himself and other road users, exemplifying the severe risks posed by high-speed pursuit driving. His dramatic crash, captured on police dashcam as the vehicle became airborne after hitting a kerb, highlighted how catastrophic such pursuits can become within seconds.
Marchant stole the Vauxhall Insignia in nearby Ludgershall before officers tracked it to the eastbound carriageway early on 21 April. When he spotted the pursuing police car, he sped away, dangerously weaving through traffic before attempting to exit at Barton Stacey junction. His sharp braking caused him to clip the kerb, sending the vehicle flying into the air before it bounced to a halt on a grass verge. He was arrested immediately and subsequently charged with failing to stop, dangerous driving, theft of a vehicle and possession of a Class B drug, receiving a five-year driving ban and a £228 fine alongside his prison sentence.
- Man sentenced to 12 months prison for 100mph stolen car police chase
- Vehicle became airborne after hitting kerb during dangerous pursuit
- Driver disqualified for five years following incident on A303 in Wiltshire
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Ben Marchant stole a Vauxhall Insignia on 21 April and was spotted by police on the eastbound carriageway of the A303 in Wiltshire. When he noticed the pursuing police car, he accelerated to around 100mph and manoeuvred through traffic in an attempt to escape.
His attempt to evade officers came to an abrupt end when he braked sharply whilst trying to exit at Barton Stacey junction, causing the car to strike a kerb and become airborne before crashing on a grass verge. Such high-speed collisions can result in serious injury or death to the driver and others on the road.
Police pursuits of stolen vehicles present difficult decisions for law enforcement, as officers must weigh the risks of chasing a suspect at high speed on a motorway against the need to apprehend them. These situations can unfold very quickly and have serious consequences for everyone involved.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A police pursuit was necessary to apprehend a criminal who demonstrated extreme recklessness by driving 100 mph through traffic whilst refusing to stop. Allowing such drivers to evade creates incentives for further crime and broader public safety risks; swift apprehension demonstrates that fleeing police carries serious consequences, which deters future dangerous behaviour. The suspect's own actions—stealing a car and driving recklessly—made the pursuit itself a necessary response to his criminality.
The case against
High-speed pursuits for car theft create disproportionate danger to the public; the suspect was already identified and tracked, making an immediate dangerous chase unnecessary. Research demonstrates pursuits frequently result in crashes involving innocent road users, and a measured response using checkpoints or following at safe distance would have achieved apprehension without elevated risk. The crash itself exemplifies why pursuit policies should prioritise public safety over swift apprehension for non-violent offences.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Moment thug driving stolen car hits the kerb and flies into the air before crashing during 100mph police chase”.