A 61-year-old grandfather who called himself "Mad Kenny" was sentenced after leading police on a 125mph chase through rush-hour traffic on the Coast Road in Tyneside, having phoned 999 to say he intended to cause carnage and take his own life. Kenneth Davison told the call handler he would reach speeds of 160mph and warned the road should be closed, later giving officers his registration so they could pursue him. Police were forced to ram his blue Audi S3 multiple times as he weaved through traffic, mounted grass verges to dodge red lights, and damaged a doctor's car on the way to hospital, before finally crashing into a barrier.

The six-minute pursuit, captured on dashcam and released this week, showed Davison waving out of his window and braking sharply to send smoke pouring from his car despite repeated "tactical contact" from police vehicles, one of which was disabled and left its driver with shoulder pain. An empty vodka bottle was found in his car and he appeared to have taken cocaine; he told officers he wanted their help to end his life after losing his job. Davison received a 14-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, 150 hours of unpaid work, an alcohol monitoring requirement for 120 days, and a 30-month driving ban, with the judge citing the danger and fear caused to other road users during morning rush hour.