Dangerous driver jailed after hitting three pedestrians, hiding under a bed
By: -----
Colchester, UK - A prolific offender who struck three people with a car after dangerously speeding around Colchester was arrested by firearms officers who found him cowering under a bed.
In May this year, officers were trying to trace Joseph Wicks, 27, in connection with a number of serious offences.
Among them was a dangerous driving incident in Colchester six months earlier, as well as a stalking investigation.
Wicks had previously been identified as the driver of a Fiat 500 which mounted the pavement and struck three pedestrians in Queen Street, Colchester, in the early hours of 30 November last year.
Earlier that morning, he had driven aggressively and dangerously around the city centre.
Wicks drove the wrong way along one-way streets, narrowly missing members of the public as he sped along narrow roads and ignored red traffic lights.
Reaching Queen Street, Wicks drove onto the pavement where a group of people were gathered outside a nightclub.
He struck three people before driving away from the scene and abandoning the car in Wivenhoe Quay.
Fortunately, none of the victims suffered serious injuries.
Officers recovered Wicks’ fingerprints from inside the vehicle and identified him as the driver.
While officers continued their efforts to trace and arrest him, Wicks went on to commit further offences.
A campaign of stalking and harassment against a woman culminated in an incident on 8 May this year.
It was reported that Wicks attended the victim’s address that day.
He was shouting, swearing and acting aggressively, banging on the front door and demanding entry.
Wicks then returned to his van.
When a man approached the parked vehicle and opened the passenger door to speak to Wicks about his behaviour, he reported seeing a metal baseball bat and what appeared to be a handgun.
Wicks left the area but continued to bombard the woman with phone calls and messages.
Due to the report of a potential firearm, specially trained armed officers from our Force Support Unit began enquiries at a number of addresses linked to Wicks.
The following day, on 9 May, officers located his van and recovered the baseball bat. No firearm was found.
Armed officers executed a warrant at an address in Colchester on 11 May.
Multiple people inside the property denied having seen Wicks.
However, after carrying out a thorough search of the property, officers found him hiding underneath an Ottoman bed.
Wicks was arrested and charged with a number of offences, including:
* Dangerous driving.
* Driving while disqualified.
* Driving without insurance.
* Failing to stop for police.
* Three counts of assault by beating.
* Three counts of attempting to cause actual bodily harm.
* Stalking.
* Possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
* Sending threatening communications.
* Criminal damage.
He admitted all of the charges except the imitation firearm offence, which he denied. That charge was left to lie on file by prosecutors.
Appearing for sentence at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday 31 July, Wicks, of Braithwaite Drive, Colchester, was jailed for four years and six months.
He was also disqualified from driving for two years and six months.