Man jailed after car flipped in two police pursuits

A man who flipped a car he was driving after failing to stop for police has been jailed for five years.

Sokrat Vata, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving following police pursuits in Cambridge and Kent.

He was followed by officers and flipped a cloned vehicle while on the A20 at East Malling on 13 April.

The 27-year-old was not caught at the time, but several bags of cocaine and number plates were recovered from the vehicle.

On 30 April he was again pursued by officers after it was reported a stolen grey Toyota RAV4 was being driven in Cambridge.

The car was spotted in Catherine Street and as officers went to speak to Vata, he mounted the curb and made off at speed.

Vata stopped a short while later to let a passenger out before continuing to Clara Rackham Street where he then ran off and threw a bundle of cocaine in a bush, police said.

He was found hiding in a back garden with £560 cash in his pockets.

Officers also found number plates in his car and he tested positive for drug driving.

At Cambridge Crown Court on 25 September, Vata was sentenced to five years in prison.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, two counts of dangerous driving, possession of cannabis and drug driving.

Det Constable Louise Trippett, said: "Vata was determined to do all he could to evade police.

"He now has a lengthy prison sentence, which he can use to consider his actions."

Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.