A driver who crashed his ex’s Audi A3 after a police chase was found hiding in a coal bunker clutching a bottle of gin, a court heard today.
Adrian Prior, 41, had borrowed the black convertible car without asking to go to Aldi on Lewes Road to buy himself gin and “drown his sorrows”.
But when police attempted to pull him over for a dodgy looking rear tyre, he panicked and sped off up Coombe Road.
He crashed with a Mercedes, then hit a wall, at which point he ran off on foot and hid in the bunker.
Today at Brighton Magistrates Court, he was given a one-year prison sentence, but suspended for two years, and banned from driving until November 2027.
Prosecuting, Chandula Dassanayake said the pursuit began at 10.30am on Lewes Road. He said: “The car came to a final stop when the defendant’s vehicle mounted a pavement and crashed into a wall.
“He exited the vehicle, took his jumper off and tried to evade police and ran away.
“The officers called for further assistance including the dog unit. The defendant was soon located in Ladysmith Road. He was in a coal bunker in a garden.
“He was holding a half empty bottle of gin which he was consuming when he was detained.
“He said, ‘My ex missus is going to kill me. I have fucked her car without any insurance. I can’t believe I have done that to her car.'”
Prior was charged with failing to stop, failing to stop after a crash, driving with no insurance, dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, and failure to provide a specimen.
He pleaded guilty to all at the first hearing except failing to provide a specimen, which he pled guilty to on the day his trial was due to take place.
Defending, James Turner said his client showed genuine remorse. He said: “Ms Smith and he separated some years ago and have three children together. The relationship remains amicable.
“She wasn’t best pleased. She had allowed him to drive the car and had insured him on it, although not on that day.
“He was in a very low place in terms of his mental health. He decided he would go out and buy a bottle of spirit – he was drowning his sorrows.
“He had not been drinking at the point of the police chase. That happened just after he left the supermarket. He panicked and drove off.
“He has stopped drinking – he had his lasts drink in October 2025.”
Sentencing, chair of the bench Helen Scott said: “There was some disgraceful driving on roads near schools at a busy time of day and it was very fortunate that nobody was injured or worse.
“We have also heard that you have owned up to it all and tried to turn your life around since.”
As well as the suspended sentence, Prior was ordered to pay £187 in court costs and £400 in Crown Prosecution Service costs.
