On June 10, Marlon Henriques, 30, from Tidworth, Wiltshire, sparked a terrifying police chase after refusing to stop for roads policing officers. Initially spotted speeding at 56mph in a 30mph zone on Marlborough Road, Bulford, Henriques—driving a Volkswagen Arteon taken without permission from a housemate—quickly escalated the danger by overtaking vehicles on solid white lines. This reckless behavior prompted officers to authorize a pursuit, reaching speeds over 100mph to catch up.
Despite officers activating blue lights and sirens, Henriques continued to evade capture, dangerously overtaking cars on hill summits and narrowly missing an oncoming army truck. On his desperate route towards Tidworth, he repeatedly made hazardous maneuvers including running a red light on Pennings Road, driving through a 30mph zone at approximately 85mph, and mounting pavements to bypass vehicles.
The pursuit veered onto Salisbury Plain’s dirt roads before looping back through Tidworth. Authorities then successfully deployed a stinger, puncturing two of Henriques’ tyres. The chase ended in a dramatic collision when Henriques rammed the rear of a white Citroën panel van, forcing it into a tree, and then crashed into an unmarked armed response vehicle positioned ahead of the pursuit.
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Henriques was arrested on multiple charges, including aggravated taking of a vehicle without consent, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance. At Salisbury Crown Court on August 14, he pleaded guilty and received a 22-month prison sentence, along with a driving ban of four years and 11 months.
PC Webster of the Roads Policing Unit described Henriques’ conduct as some of the worst he has witnessed. He emphasized the severe risk posed by the driver’s excessive speed, reckless overtaking, and red-light violations. The successful outcome was credited to close cooperation between multiple police departments.
“This dangerous pursuit unfolded in broad daylight, and I want to thank the public for their patience and assistance throughout,” said PC Webster.