A MAN who tried to evade police by jumping into a shallow river was tasered by officers following a dramatic car chase in Salisbury.

45-year-old Matthew Jewell, of no fixed abode, was handed a two-year prison sentence after he led officers on two separate dangerous pursuits.

Officers received information that a white MG, thought to be being driven by Jewell who has an expired licence, was parked outside an address in Robinson Grove in Longhedge.

Later that evening at 10.30, the same car was seen to leave the address and was pre-emptively stung as it left the estate.

The car then failed to stop for two units and was pursued along Fourmile Hill with severely damaged tyres, during which it repeatedly straddled the central line.

Jewell turned right onto High Post Road and then on to Gaters Lane where the vehicle came to a stop due to its disintegrated tyres.

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Jewell then decamped and was pursued on foot through a ford and out the other side, where he was tasered and arrested.

In the video released by the force, Jewell can be heard saying “Oh that hurt” after he was tasered.

On a separate occasion, on the morning of April 2 this year, police received a report of a Land Rover Freeland parked on Pennings Road, Salisbury, with Jewell found unresponsive in the driver’s seat.

Matthew Jewell, pictured, was found by officers hiding in a loft Picture: Wiltshire Police

Officers attended the scene but the vehicle was not, however it was soon spotted by officers on Devizes Road.

Jewell reacted to the officer’s presence and fled, leading officers on a short pursuit to Millstream Approach. Thanks to a witness, officers were pointed in the direction of a nearby flat.

Jewell was found hiding in the loft.

He pleaded guilty to various driving offences and in a hearing at Salisbury Crown Court on Monday (October 20) he was sentenced to two years in prison.

He was also sentenced for two counts of dangerous driving, two counts of driving without a licence, driving without insurance, failing to stop for police and three counts of failing to stop at the scene of a collision.

He was also sentenced for breaching a suspended sentence.

Jewell was also disqualified from driving for three years and will need to pass an extended driving test at the end of the disqualification.

PC Ben Agate said: “Matthew Jewell is a prolific offender who, while on bail after being caught driving illegally in April, committed the second offence just over a month later.

“He put numerous lives at risk through his driving and it was fortunate that there were no injuries.

“Following his charges, he was remanded into custody and he has now been jailed for his actions.”

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