A van driver sped away from an unmarked police car – because he thought it was a mystery ‘group’ and not the constabulary.

Terence Hedley broke the speed limit as he weaved down the M40 chased by the unmarked BMW driven by a member of Thames Valley Police’s roads policing unit.

But his barrister, Gordana Austin, told the judge at Oxford Crown Court on Monday that 49-year-old Hedley indicated left or right as he changed lanes during the pursuit down the motorway.

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The chase having started at junction 10, near Bicester, Hedley’s Ford Transit van left the motorway at junction 8A near Wheatley.

Taking the A40 towards Oxford, he overtook two cars – forcing one to take avoiding action in order to prevent a crash.

Asked by the defence to adjourn the case for the preparation of a probation report, presiding judge Recorder John Ryder QC said: “It was a sustained piece of dangerous driving.

“He had the opportunity to stop and didn’t. So, particularly with the aggravated factor of driving under the influence of drugs, the likelihood of an immediate custodial sentence is overwhelming in my view.”

Ms Austin redoubled her efforts to obtain a pre-sentence report, hinting at shadowy circumstances that had taken place before the police chase on May 17 last year.

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“It was not a marked police car. It was an [unmarked] BMW and due to circumstances that took place before the driving too place, this defendant had a reason to believe he was potentially pursued by a group of people [who were] not the police,” she said. Those ‘circumstances’ were not explained to the court.

“He accepts he was speeding and he accepts he overtook two cars once he got off the M40 at junction 8A; he accepts [that] was dangerous.

“In my submission this whole pursuit lasted eight minutes.

“It was effectively low-level dangerous driving for a very short period of time.”

Oxford Mail: Terence Headley outside Oxford Crown Court Terence Headley outside Oxford Crown Court

Hedley, of Gwyneth Road, Oxford, had been due to stand trial at the St Aldates courthouse this week.

But he appeared in the dock on Monday morning to change his pleas, admitting allegations of dangerous driving, driving without insurance or a licence and driving while under the influence of cocaine biproduct Benzoylecgonine.

Recorder Ryder bailed Hedley to return to court on July 5 and ordered a pre-sentence report.

He said: “I have to make it absolutely plain that in adjourning this for the preparation of a pre-sentence report I am not indicating that you will or should be dealt with in any other way than by means of an immediate custodial sentence.”

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward