A 20-year-old driver sparked terror through Swindon during a high-speed police chase before being thrown behind bars. Tyler O’Keeffe of Burbage, Leicestershire, threw public safety out the window on 12 June when cops tried to stop his suspicious black Volkswagen Tiguan.

The car was untaxed, had pitch-black tinted windows, and sported a parking ticket. When officers signalled him to pull over on County Road just after 1pm, O’Keeffe did the opposite. He slammed the accelerator, performing a dangerous U-turn that forced officers to leap out of the way.

Mad Moments on Dual Carriageways and Roundabouts

What followed was a nail-biting sprint through Swindon’s town centre in wet weather. O’Keeffe sped the wrong way down Drakes Way dual carriageway, spun around Greenbridge roundabout, and tore down Dorcan Way, Covingham Drive, and Merlin Way.

He even drove the wrong way onto the A419 exit slip road before merging back into traffic—putting lives at serious risk. The chase only ended when O’Keeffe crashed into another car and was trapped by police.

Locked Up and Stripped of Licence

At Swindon Crown Court on 3 October, O’Keeffe admitted dangerous driving. He copped a 20-month jail sentence—12 months for the chase and an extra eight months for breaching a suspended sentence.

His driving licence is now revoked for 27 months. He must pass a tough extended retest before hitting the road again.

“O’Keeffe’s driving was some of the worst I have seen,” said PC Tom Richardson. “He took massive risks going the wrong way on dual carriageways and the A419, caring only about escaping while putting the public, his passengers, and officers in danger. There is no place for this kind of driving in Wiltshire.”