Man facing five years behind bars for driving offences

A man is facing over five years behind bars this week after he pleaded guilty to several driving offences.

Casey Lewis Block, 22, of Swandene, Pagham appeared at Guildford Crown Court yesterday (Thursday, 6 July) for sentencing after he had previously pleaded guilty on March 30 to the following offences:

• Causing serious injury by dangerous driving
• Driving whilst disqualified
• Make off without payment
• Aggravated vehicle taking causing injury
• Use of motor vehicle on a road without insurance
• Fraudulent use of a registration mark

On 10 July 2022, a grey Audi TT was stolen from the car park of the Guildford Manor Hotel and Spa at Newlands Corner. On 11 September a grey Audi TT displaying cloned number plates was caught speeding on Middleton near Shrewsbury Road, London. The same vehicle was then involved in the theft of fuel from the Tesco Esso Express on Thornton Heath in Croydon. Following this it was seen exceeding the speed limit on the Northbound carriageway of the A3 travelling at 96pmh in a 70mph zone.

The Audi was then caught driving at 107mph on the A3 at the Hindhead Tunnel the following day which led to an accident at the Milford junction when it collided with the central barrier, followed by another car before coming to rest straddling both lanes of the dual carriageway leaving the driver of the other vehicle with serious life-threatening injuries.

Block admitted to witnesses at the scene of the accident that he was smoking weed and doing drugs while at the wheel of the car and was driving while disqualified.

At Guildford Crown Court yesterday, Block was sentenced to five years and two months imprisonment. He also received five years disqualification from driving on release from prison and will then have to complete an extended driving test to regain his licence.

The breakdown of the sentencing was as follows:

• Causing serious injury by dangerous driving – four years
• Aggravated vehicle taking causing injury - six months to run concurrent
• Drive whilst disqualified – six months to run concurrent
• Fraudulent use of a registration mark – six months
• Make off without payment – six months
• Use motor vehicle on a road without insurance to remain on file
• Breach of suspended sentence – eight months