Footballer Jailed After Filming Himself Drifting BMW And Driving At 191mph
A semi professional footballer has been jailed for four years after filming himself driving at 191mph and performing a dangerous drift around a van at a West Yorkshire roundabout.
Connor Charlton, 32, from Hunslet in Leeds, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court after admitting 10 counts of dangerous driving and four offences of perverting the course of justice. He also received a driving ban lasting four years and seven months.
Charlton, who plays as a centre forward for Nostell Miners Welfare in the Northern Counties East League, was filmed carrying out a series of dangerous manoeuvres in his powerful BMW. One video showed him drifting around a roundabout while the vehicle's tyres screeched, with the car narrowly avoiding a collision with a van.
Another video showed Charlton travelling at 191mph on a motorway in West Yorkshire, with a passenger recording the extreme speed from inside the vehicle.
The investigation also uncovered a scheme designed to help drivers avoid receiving penalty points for speeding offences. Charlton admitted four offences of perverting the course of justice connected to arrangements in which other people took penalty points in exchange for money.
The case has raised further concerns about dangerous driving an the potential consequences of recording reckless behaviour on public roads. Police were able to use video footage and analysis of Charlton's BMW as evidence during the investigation.
The Crown Prosecution Service said the evidence demonstrated the scale of Charlton's offending, with the dangerous driving offences covering multiple incidents rather than a single episode.
The four year prison sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences, while the lengthy driving ban means Charlton will remain unable to legally drive for several years after his release.
The case has also attracted attention because of Charlton's involvement in semi professional football. His sporting career has now been overshadowed by the criminal proceedings and the consequences of his actions on public roads.
Authorities have repeatedly warned that excessive speed and deliberate loss of vehicle control can put other road users at significant risk. The case demonstrates how behaviour that may be recorded as entertainment can result in serious criminal consequences when it endangers members of the public.
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