Rotherham man jailed after throwing guns out of window during car chase
Police recovered a bag containing two loaded handguns after the chase last year
A Rotherham man has been jailed for seven years after throwing several guns out of the window during a police chase last year.
46 year old Earl Treasure, of Newton Place in Thorpe Hesley, was behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi Shogun that was being pursued by officers on June 13 2024.
He ran red lights and dove in the middle of the carriageway before the vehicle was brought to a stop on Pearoyd Lane.
Treasure was detained nearby, with a small bag being recovered containing two blank firing handguns that had been converted to fire real bullets.
The 46 year old was charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited firearm and two counts of possessing ammunition without a valid certificate, as well as driving a motor vehicle dangerously.
He admitted to the charges and was handed a custodial sentence, alongside an 11 year six month driving ban at Sheffield Crown Court.
Detective Constable David Stacey, of South Yorkshire Police, said:
"Treasure drove without care in an attempt to conceal his involvement with firearm enabled criminality. It is only down to sheer luck that no innocent members of the public were injured during his reckless efforts to avoid police.
"Not only has a criminal been put behind bars, but two dangerous weapons have been seized ensuring no damage can be caused by them. Blank firing weapons made up a significant proportion of firearms discharges and recoveries in South Yorkshire over the last two years.
"Getting them off the streets of South Yorkshire is a priority. If you remain in possession of an illegal weapon, not only do you risk being handed a considerable jail sentence, but you are also posing a danger to innocent members of your local community.”