Blackpool Magistrates ban ex boxer Hugh Fury from the road after Lancaster police chase

The 27-year-old, of Main Street, Lancaster – not to be confused with his boxer cousin Hughie Fury – appeared at Blackpool Magistrates Court on Friday (October 28).

The court heard how he tried to con police by switching seats with his passenger after he jumped a red light in central Lancaster.

His Mitsubishi nearly hit a pedestrian on a zebra crossing and police pursued the car with a male at the wheel.

When the Mitsubishi pulled over for police, an officer said he witnessed the driver swapping front seats with a female passenger.

When the officer spoke with Fury at the roadside, Fury was seen holding a bottle of strong lager, but denied driving.

A road side breath test and a further test at a police station both proved positive.

At Blackpool Magistrates’ Court, Fury pleaded guilty to drink driving, disqualified driving and driving without insurance.

He was banned from the road for sixteen months and ordered him to pay £319 in fines and costs. He must obey a 7pm to 7am curfew for 12 weeks and was handed 15 rehabilitation days with the probation service.

Fury's lawyer David Leach told the court how his client’s boxing career had been cruelly cut short by illness.

He said: “My client is on benefits. He has a serious illness, type 1 diabetes, which has had a profound effect on him by ending his boxing career when his professional boxer's licence was taken from him."

"What he did by swapping seats when he stopped was very foolish."

Previous conviction

The court heard Fury had previously been banned from driving for 12 months and had served a prison term imposed in 2019 at Carlisle Crown Court for dangerous driving and handling stolen goods (the car he was driving).

The former boxer was jailed after he led police on a dramatic chase while towing a stolen caravan on March 1, 2017, close to Junction 36 of the M6.

Fury had been driving a Mitsubishi Challenger four-wheel drive and towing a £16,000 caravan – both bought and stolen from Barrow earlier that day.

Police signalled for Fury to stop but he ignored the order and carried on driving with caravan in tow at speeds of up to 60mph along the A590 towards Kendal.

He mounted a kerb before driving at speed through a wooden gate on to a field where he tried to escape on foot. He was detained nearby and arrested.

Fury initially denied knowing the caravan was stolen. But at Carlisle Crown Court he admitted handling stolen goods and dangerous driving.