Nathan Owen, 33, has been sentenced to four years and three months in prison after he faked a brake failure in his electric Jaguar, triggering a major police operation on Merseyside motorways. The court heard that Owen's actions were a "frighteningly stupid" attempt to avoid paying car finance, but they resulted in a dangerous pursuit that put officers and the public at risk.
Incident details
On 6 March 2024, Owen phoned emergency services claiming his Jaguar I-Pace was accelerating uncontrollably and that he had no control over the vehicle. He then drove at speeds up to 86mph on the M58, M57, and M62 for about 35 minutes, covering approximately 38 miles. During the pursuit, Owen collided with a police car 31 times as officers attempted to stop him.
The vehicle eventually came to a halt near junction 12 of the M62 when the battery ran out. Bodycam and dashcam footage shown in court revealed that when the car stopped, the brake lights were clearly visible, contradicting Owen's claims of a malfunction.
Investigation and motive
An extensive investigation by Merseyside Police and Jaguar Land Rover UK (JLR) confirmed that the car was functioning correctly. Data analysis showed that Owen never pressed the brakes during the incident. Further inquiry revealed that Owen had significant personal debt and had missed multiple payments on the vehicle finance. On the day of the incident, he had been turned down for a loan, and just minutes later he made the 999 call.
Prosecutor Eric Lamb told Liverpool Crown Court that Owen had about £5,000 left to pay on the car finance. After the incident, Owen contacted the finance company 40 minutes later and later sold his story to the Sun for £300 and the Daily Mail for £500.
Impact and consequences
JLR stated that the false allegations caused significant harm to the company, forcing them to spend an extra £50 million in marketing to counter the adverse publicity. The incident generated 180 pieces of negative media coverage, damaging the reputation of the Jaguar I-Pace model.
Sentencing, Judge Ian Unsworth KC said: "You set in train a course of conduct which caused a significant police traffic operation to be deployed, undoubted alarm to the public and very substantial loss and disruption to others." He added that police officers placed themselves in danger because they believed they were dealing with a genuine emergency, while Owen "sought to profit from a lie."
Owen, of Prestatyn, was described by his defense as a "Walter Mitty character" who "lives in a fantasy world." He had no previous convictions and came from a "successful, stable family." Daniel Travers, defending, said Owen's actions were "frighteningly stupid" and that he had "grand ideas and things just went wrong."
Legal outcome
Owen pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and two counts of fraud in June. In addition to the prison sentence, he was banned from driving for five years after his release from custody. The case serves as a stark warning about the severe consequences of such reckless and dishonest behavior.
