Man who drove dangerously in Hartlepool now behind bars

Ashley Orr, of Briardene Court in Hardwick, reportedly flew down the A689 as he drove alongside his passenger before colliding with the central reservation and into another vehicle.

The 35-year-old was driving at 84mph when he should have been travelling at 40mph.

Orr pleaded not guilty to two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving before changing his plea two days before his trial.

On Tuesday 22 April, he appeared at Teesside Crown Court to be sentenced to 48 months in prison and was banned from driving for six years.

During the hearing, the court was played dash cam footage showed the collision occur with the court hearing it took place shortly after Orr had picked up a friend on 22 May 2022 from a fast-food restaurant before travelling to Hartlepool.

He collided head-on with a car that had been waiting to turn right at traffic lights near to Truro Drive.

It led to the woman and her passenger in the car suffering serious injuries that required hospital treatment. While the passenger in Orr’s vehicle sustained several injuries during the crash with the court hearing he had repeatedly told him to slow down.

Detective Constable Nichola Lamport, from Cleveland Police’s serious collision investigation unit, said: “The collision has had a significant effect on the lives of the victims who are still to this day suffering with their injuries.

“Orr showed a total disregard for other people who were using the roads the roads that day and put them at risk of significant harm due to the dangerous manner of his driving.

“I hope this sentence serves as a reminder to motorists that driving dangerously is not acceptable and you too can also face time in prison and be banned from driving.”