Suspected drink-driver kidnapped Northamptonshire police officer to avoid breath test
A suspected drink driver who kidnapped a police officer instead of doing a breathalyser test then sped through the streets in the early hours before crashing his car, a court heard.
The officer was waiting for Leon Turay to turn off the ignition in his car when the 41-year-old drove off at speed with the police officer still holding on to the door.
He was able to pull himself into the car and ordered Turay to stop the car, but the driver continued to drive dangerously through the streets of Northampton before crashing.
Turay, previously of Shakespeare Road in Northampton, was sentenced to six-and-a-half-years in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping a police officer.
He was also ordered to serve a further five years on extended licence when he appeared at Northampton Crown Court last week.
The kidnapping happened at around 5.15am on 13 March when police officers came across a vehicle parked in Wellingborough Road with its engine running and a man who appeared to be asleep at the wheel, said Northamptonshire Police.
The officers woke Turay and when he got out of the car, he left the engine running. He appeared to be intoxicated and unsteady on his feet, which prompted the officers to breathalyse him.
Turay refused to take the test at first but eventually agreed, if he could turn the car's engine off first.
As he went to do so, he got back behind the wheel and drove off at speed - with the officer still holding on to his car door.
He continued to drive dangerously through several streets, despite the officer telling him to stop, before crashing his car in Cheyne Walk.
Turay tried to leave the car and run but was arrested shortly afterwards in Beckett’s Park.
He was charged with various offences including false imprisonment, dangerous driving, assault by beating of an emergency worker and kidnapping.
At a court hearing on September 30, Turay pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment, dangerous driving, and assault by beating of an emergency worker but admitted one count of kidnapping.
The other charges were ordered to remain on the court file.
PC Luisa Garcia Webb, who investigated, said: “This was an extremely serious and dangerous incident and I hope Turay is aware, that [despite] his recklessness, he is fortunate that his actions did not cause serious injury or death to a serving police officer."
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