Young man from Colchester sentenced for 'appalling' driving

Kristan Labonne-Murray, 22, was found guilty of dangerous driving after his “appalling driving” led to a dangerous police chase on December 23, 2023 between Boreham and Hatfield Peverel. 

The court heard the defendant, of Martin Hunt Drive in Stanway, was spotted by officers on patrol near Boreham, who did a U-turn as he had exceeded the speed limit. 

Court - The defendant appeared before Chelmsford Crown Court on August 6

Essex Police officers followed Labonne-Murray, who had taken a Peugeot, which was rented in his mother’s name without being an insured additional driver. 

The court heard that Labonne-Murray performed a double overtake as police followed him, racing at 120mph in a 60mph zone. 

He did not follow the officers’ signals to stop, continuing at speeds between 100mph to 110mph, and 70mph in a 30mph zone, overtaking other drivers before he crashed into a tree at a speed of around 90mph. 

He was arrested shortly after the chase, which lasted not longer than five minutes, according to the statements of the police officers. 

The damage to the vehicle, a rental of the company Enterprise, was estimated at around £19,000. 

Facing Chelmsford Crown Court on August 6, Labonne-Murray was sentenced for one count of driving a motor vehicle dangerously, one count of driving without insurance, one count of failing to stop for police officers, and aggravated vehicle driving and dangerous driving. 

Recorder Richard Christie KC condemned the action, criticising the “appalling piece of driving”. 

Mark O’Connor, mitigating, said: “He is lucky to be in court only for dangerous driving.” 

Road - The police chase took place alongside the A12 and ended with a crash (Image: Google Maps)

Following the incident, Labonne-Murray lost his job due to being disqualified from driving, the court was told, and Mr O’Connor argued that his “poor decisions” were made in a bad “state of mind”. 

Recorder Christie said: “It was a series of poor decisions on actually quite a lot of road. You were way, way over the speed limit, way more of the 30mph mark. 

“You are a young man. I hope you understand could have caused death by dangerous driving. 

“You could’ve killed somebody.” 

Considering Labonne-Murray had no previous convictions, Recorder Christie said “it’s worth giving you a chance”.

He sentenced him to twelve months custody suspended by two years, 120 hours of community service, 20 units of rehabilitation action a curfew of 90 days as well as having to pay £330.