Driver walks free after 150mph chase on A127 in south Essex

Tyler Rogers, 21, of Retford Road, Romford, was the only member of the gang involved in the incident to be identified after the victim turned out to be a former school mate, who recognised him.

The victim called police on March 3 and said he had just been robbed in Pound Lane.

Recorder Peter Clark told Tyler Rogers, from Harold Wood, he came 'very close' to an immediate prison sentence (Image: Charles Thomson)

Around five men had pulled up behind his white Volkswagen in a grey car, one of whom dragged him from his vehicle before Rogers kicked off the wing mirror.

The vehicle was driven off and by the time police caught up with it, only Rogers was inside.

He was handed a suspended sentence at Southend Crown Court on Monday (January 26).

Sentencing judge Peter Clark said the sentence was due in no small part to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropping a robbery charge against him over the carjacking.

Rogers was instead charged with dangerous driving, handling stolen goods and criminal damage.

Prosecutor Poppy Cleary said that when police caught up to the stolen car, switched on their blue lights and tried to pull it over, Tyler led them at a chase, driving “at incredibly high speeds”.

He exceeded 100mph in a 30mph zone on Pitsea Road and reached speeds “in excess of 150mph”, she told the court.

Along the way he drove through multiple lights.

He sped up the A127 and onto Childerditch Lane at West Horndon. At its junction with St Mary’s Lane, he crashed the car and fled into some bushes, but was apprehended by police.

Tyler Rogers' defence barrister said he had been drawn into the crime by associates he had since distanced himself from (Image: Charles Thomson)

“Mr Rogers has been quite candid with probation,” said defence barrister Elspeth Windsor. “He was associating with people he ought not have been associating with.

“What he has done is proactively take steps to break those associations.”

He had been resolute in doing so, she added, even though it had put him in “a difficult and uncomfortable position in terms of the locality of where he lives.”

Sentencing, Recorder Clark said the dropping of the robbery charge was “a key factor”, without which Rogers “would have been going away for a long stretch”.

The vehicle had been stolen in “a seriously violent group robbery”, he said, and Rogers had driven it “in a crazy manner”.

But, he said: “I accept that you have demonstrated an attitude to change for the future and in particular to steer clear of people who might lead you into trouble.”

He sentenced Rogers to 14 months, suspended for 18 months, with requirements to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and up to 40 days of rehabilitation activities.

“Step out of line and you will be going downstairs to serve that sentence that you came so very close to serving,” he said.