Banned driver jailed after 100mph police chase on A55

A man described as “arrogant” by a judge has been jailed after leading police on a dangerous high-speed chase – while he was already disqualified from driving.

Mark Canavan, 35, of Maes Bryn Melyd in Rhyl, was spotted by officers in a VW Golf on the evening of Wednesday, 3 September 2025. Checks quickly revealed he was banned from being behind the wheel.

The chase

When officers left the A55 at Junction 31 near Caerwys to stop him, Canavan had other ideas. What followed was a 10-minute pursuit through country roads, including through Gwaenysgor, where he reached speeds in excess of 100mph.

During the chase, he overtook other vehicles and crossed white lines as he desperately tried to shake off pursuing officers.

The escape attempt

CCTV footage later captured Canavan abandoning the Golf in an alleyway before jumping over a fence. When police tracked him down at his flat, he denied any involvement – claiming he had been at home drinking a cup of tea during the pursuit, prosecutor Ember-Jade Wong told the court.

Lengthy record

The court heard Canavan had racked up 13 convictions for 28 offences. These included dangerous driving and driving while disqualified in both 2007 and 2008, taking a vehicle without consent, and driving without insurance. Earlier in 2025, he had been disqualified for driving under the influence of drugs.

Defence

Sarah Yates, defending, told the court Canavan had pleaded guilty at an early stage and had experienced a difficult childhood. He was now a father and understood he was facing prison, where he intended to use his time constructively.

Sentencing ⚖️

Judge Simon Mills made clear he considered Canavan’s attitude to be one of complete arrogance, noting he had shown no remorse for his offences and no regard for the safety of others. He was assessed as posing a high risk to the public.

“The way you drove was truly appalling,” said Judge Mills. “It was arrogant and you have admitted you were trying to embarrass the police, because you have some sort of grudge against them for reasons that only you understand or believe.”

The judge told Canavan that at 35 and now a father, it was “about time he grew up” and provided a good example. He said it was “miraculous” that no one had been seriously injured or killed.

Canavan was sentenced to 15 weeks in prison for driving while disqualified, to run consecutively with a 41-week sentence for dangerous driving – a total of 56 weeks. He will serve around 40% of the sentence in custody, with the remainder on licence.

He was also disqualified from driving for two years, with an extension period of 28 weeks applied, and must pay a surcharge.