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Nathan Owen has been sentenced to four years and three months in prison after driving his electric Jaguar at speeds up to 86 mph on motorways while falsely claiming to police that the vehicle was malfunctioning and out of control. The court in Liverpool heard that Owen concocted the story of being unable to brake in a “frighteningly stupid” attempt to avoid paying off his car finance.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) revealed that the false claims caused significant reputational damage, leading the company to spend an additional £50 million on marketing to counteract negative coverage. According to JLR, the allegations generated around 180 adverse media reports. During the incident on 6 March 2024, Owen collided with a police car 31 times as officers tried to stop him after he called emergency services claiming his Jaguar I-Pace was accelerating uncontrollably.
The dangerous episode unfolded on the M58, M57, and M62 motorways in Merseyside, lasting approximately 35 minutes and covering nearly 38 miles. The chase ended near junction 12 of the M62 when the vehicle’s battery was depleted. Sentencing Owen, Judge Ian Unsworth KC highlighted the serious consequences of the event, stating that Owen’s actions triggered a major police operation, caused public alarm, and led to considerable disruption and loss. The judge further noted that officers put themselves at risk under the belief they were responding to a genuine emergency, while Owen sought to “profit from a lie.”
Police investigations, in cooperation with JLR, confirmed that the Jaguar was fully functional and that Owen never applied the brakes during the incident. Arrested on 13 March, he denied the fraud charges, but authorities uncovered his significant personal debts and multiple missed payments on the car finance. Prosecutor Eric Lamb explained that Owen, from Prestatyn, still owed about £5,000 on the vehicle, and on the day of the incident, he failed in an attempt to secure a loan just before calling 999 to report a loss of control. Lamb added, “In fact, his car was stationary at the time of that call.”
Court evidence included video footage of the police pursuit and audio of Owen’s distress call, during which he said the car had “gone crazy” and described himself as “shaking.” When the car finally stopped, brake lights were observed activating. After the event, Owen contacted the finance company and later received payments of £300 and £500 from tabloid newspapers for his fabricated story. His defense lawyer described Owen as a “Walter Mitty character” with no prior convictions, who had “grand ideas” that ultimately went awry. Owen pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and two fraud charges and faces a five-year driving ban upon his release
Read the full article from The Guardian here: Read More
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