Footballer, 33, who took cops on high speed chase before crashing 100k Range Rover and running from scene dodges jail | The Sun

A FOOTBALLER who led police on a high speed chase in a £100,000 Range Rover ran off after smashing into a parked car.

Gary Madine, 33, who has played up front for Sheffield Wednesday, Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool, roared around in his Range Rover with police on his tail.

Locals were asleep as Madine sped through Birtley, Gateshead during the early hours of April 3.

Madine, who has previous convictions for violence, decided to floor the SUV rather than pull over when cops arrived.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Madine behaved in a "ridiculously stupid" way when officers turned up to reports of a disturbance in the early hours of the morning.

Mark Atkins, prosecuting, said: "The vehicle began to make off and ignored instructions by the police to stop.

"The police officer got into his car and followed the defendant and activated his blue lights and siren.

"During the police pursuit, he drove dangerously. There's footage of the pursuit from the dash cam of the police car.

"During the chase, the defendant collided with a white Ford Focus parked outside a house on a path."

The impact of that crash caused a post box to be knocked over and caused damage to the Ford and the Range Rover.

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Madine tried to continue driving but was unable to do so due to the damage, and after around 40m he got out and ran off, along with his passenger.

However as he was the registered keeper of the car, he was easily traced. However he failed to respond to a notice requesting information on who was driving at the time.

The 33-year-old, of Bede Way, Birtley, who has four previous convictions for violence but a clean driving licence, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident, failing to stop for police and failing to provide information regarding the driver of a vehicle.

Recorder Paul Reid sentenced him to six months suspended for 18 months with 250 hours unpaid work and a 12 month driving ban with a requirement he sit an extended test before he can get his licence back.

The judge said: "It's a mystery why people in your position do this, I suspect you made off from the police because you didn't want to be breathalysed but I disregard that, the circumstances of this are bad enough.

"I'm impressed with the pre-sentence report and character references and the letter you have written yourself. You described this as an act of stupidity. It's fortunate it didn't result in worse damage or injury to other people."

Shaun Routledge, defending, said Madine had "panicked", adding: "2023 has been a difficult year for him, his relationship of some years ending and he suffered a serious injury which led to nine months of rehabilitation and not being able to perform the job he has done for many years. He was feeling very low in April."

Mr Routledge said Madine's "profession depends on his full recovery", adding: "There are offers from other clubs.

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"Blackpool have been very supportive in terms of rehab. It may be he gets a way back into what he has done all his adult life but he may not. He realises what he did was ridiculously stupid."

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