Teen Jailed After Three High-Speed Police Chases Across Teesside

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An 18-year-old from Middlesbrough has been sentenced to 15 months in custody after leading police on a series of high-speed pursuits through residential areas, narrowly avoiding serious injury to himself and others. Kai Beattie appeared before Teesside Crown Court facing several charges, including dangerous driving, driving while under the influence of drugs, drug possession, and breaching a driving ban. The court was told he had already racked up 34 offences by the age of 18.

The court described Beattie as having a criminal record. “Any well-known criminal would have been proud to have achieved at his age.” He was involved in multiple dangerous incidents between January and April 2025.

Relentless Pursuits

Prosecutor Chris Morrison told the court the first incident took place on January 15 when officers spotted a suspected stolen car being driven through a residential area. Beattie attempted to flee, mounting kerbs and driving recklessly to avoid police. When he was finally stopped, he attempted to escape on foot but was quickly apprehended. Toxicology tests revealed 800 milligrams of benzoylecgonine, a cocaine breakdown product, in his blood, 16 times over the legal limit of 50 milligrams per litre.

On April 4, Beattie was stopped again in Redcar and found with three small bags of cocaine in his trousers. Two days later, he was seen riding a motorcycle dangerously, swerving into oncoming traffic and forcing pedestrians to leap out of the way as he mounted footpaths. A plain-clothed officer witnessed him performing wheelies in the middle of the road before he sped away onto pavements and grass to avoid being caught. Police were forced to abandon the chase to avoid further public risk.

The most serious of the chases occurred on April 17, when Beattie led police on a prolonged 24-minute pursuit through Redcar and the surrounding area. During the incident, he hit speeds of 70 miles per hour in 30 zones and even went the wrong way around roundabouts. “It is little short of a miracle that the roads were so clear for this very protracted course of action,” said Mr Morrison. The chase only ended after a stinger device was deployed and officers boxed in his vehicle, causing it to spin 180 degrees. Beattie had to be pulled through the window and was found with ammonia on him.

At the time of arrest, officers noted Beattie had slurred speech and glazed eyes. He was again found to be over the legal drug-driving limit.

Defence barrister Kate Clark said the teen had reached a low point in his life. “He tells me it’s the worst time of his life… he is not proud of his actions at all,” she told the court. Ms Clark added that Beattie is making efforts to turn things around while in custody and has been offered a job as a labourer by his father upon release.

Beattie was sentenced to 15 months in a young offenders’ institution and will serve 40 percent of that time behind bars. He has also been banned from driving for three years and seven months.