Drunk driver attacked police after chase through Salisbury

Police saw Kalup Hughes, 32, speeding along Exeter Street in a Vauxhall Astra without its headlights on shortly before midnight on February 8.

Checks showed Hughes was driving while disqualified in a car registered to a female keeper with no valid insurance.

Hughes, of Matthews Road, Amesbury, realised the police were tailing him on the A36 and took a "last-minute" turn-off to Bourne Hill.

From here, he continued through a no-entry sign and led the police on a chase through a one-way system before attempting to get out of the car, crashing it into the pavement in the process.

As PC Gray tried to pack a "substantially bigger" Hughes into a police van, he kicked the officer's chest and shins causing a "small lump and red marks".

Kalup Hughes outside Salisbury Law Courts on Thursday, May 2. (Image: Newsquest)

Charles Nightingale, prosecuting, said: "He is mentioning relatively minor injuries but the officer is just trying to do his job."

A breathalyser test found Hughes had 80 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Salisbury Magistrates' Court heard how Hughes had not complied with a community order imposed last December, missed probation appointments in January and should have been electronically tagged when the most recent offences took place.

This order came as a consequence of Hughes failing to provide a specimen for analysis and an interim driving disqualification was imposed in June 2023.

Hannah Douglas, defending, said: "He can’t escape the fact of his previous convictions; he holds his hands up to that.

"He had a drink driving offence in 2017 when he was 25 years old. At the time he was a much more immature man."

Kalup Hughes attacked a police officer who caught him drink driving. (Image: Newsquest)

Hughes, who the court heard struggles with poor mental health, was "very panicked" on the night the offences took place.

"He lashed out due to the anxiety he was feeling about being arrested," explained Ms Douglas.

"He is very sorry and grateful there were no further people involved or hurt by his driving."

Hughes recently fled Dorset to move in with a new partner in Salisbury as he was receiving threats from past connections.

The court heard how he had also struggled with alcohol for quite a long time but since moving he "he has been able to focus his energy”.

Ms Douglas mentioned that Hughes'  younger brother had recently committed suicide which made the defendant realise he "had been wasting his time by getting involved in offences and juvenile behaviour even though he is in his 30s".

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District Judge Timothy Pattinson acknowledged the case warranted a custodial sentence longer than he has powers to impose.

He said: "There is a dangerous manner to his driving, he is highly impaired by the consumption of alcohol and even if I accept there was little damage that that still gives the court a starting point of nine months through to 18 months.

"There are then all of the aggravating features that have been highlighted to me."

Turning to Hughes in the dock, District Judge Pattinson added: "These are extremely serious offences.

"You chose to drive a vehicle while you were disqualified, whilst you were drunk and even more so you assaulted those police officers."

Hughes was committed to Salisbury Crown Court to be sentenced on May 31.