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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Kieran Isgin

Man left his Land Rover on railway track after effort to escape from police

A man was caught on video driving along a railway track in a desperate bid to evade the police.

Kieron Francis, 35, was caught on camera attempting to flee the force in a stolen Land Rover Discovery. During the incident, he drove through a level crossing and turned onto the track.

Video footage of the scene showed the vehicle being driven alongside the platform at Cheshunt railway station in Hertfordshire as shocked commuters looked on. The luxury car had been stolen from Braintree, Essex, four days prior to the incident on June 15, 2021.

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Francis, of Dagenham, London, went on to abandon the car on the tracks, leaving it in the path of any unknowing trains. He has now been convicted of two counts of endangering life after a trial - but has been cleared of stealing the Land Rover.

Francis later abandoned the vehicle on the tracks (SWNS)

His sentence will be delivered at a later date. St Albans Crown Court heard how Francis sped off in the car when police attempted to speak to him.

It was also heard how two police officers were injured in the incident while several vehicles were damaged. One officer was even thrown from the car as it sped off.

One witness said that they were "gobsmacked" at the time. They added: "It was like a scene from Grand Theft Auto, the video game."

Francis pleaded guilty to five other offences that he committed on the same date during an earlier hearing. It includes assaulting a male police constable, driving while disqualified, dangerous driving and two counts of destroying property, including a railway crossing barrier.

Ahead of his sentencing, Francis was remanded in custody.

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