Colin Bartley given 22‑month suspended term after Erith police chase
The 20‑year‑old received unpaid work, a Criminal Behaviour Order and an 18‑month driving ban following a dangerous pursuit and a stolen‑car spree in Bexley.
Incident → evidence → outcomeRecorder David Etherington sentenced Colin Bartley, 20, at Woolwich Crown Court on 29 July 2026. The sentence follows a series of offences that began with a police pursuit on 27 May 2023, when officers spotted a black Ford B‑Max on Hengist Road, Erith. Bartley accelerated away, rammed a stationary Toyota carrying children and then hit a parked Nissan, causing damage assessed at £13,000.
Court hearing and evidence
Prosecutor Jessica Kayanja told the court that the chase started at about 4.30pm as police travelled towards Bexleyheath. After the vehicle check linked the Ford to theft offences, officers pursued the driver. Bartley reversed at speed, narrowly missing officers and striking the police van. The court heard that two children in the Toyota suffered shock and trauma. Inside the Ford, officers found Class A drugs and a knife, though neither was linked to Bartley.
The judge noted that Bartley later took part in a mob attack outside a kebab shop in Erith and was found in the driver’s seat of a stolen grey Lexus in December 2025. The car, recovered from a traveller site on Thames Road, Crayford, was valued at £25,000. Bartley claimed he bought it for £500 but admitted it was likely stolen.
Sentencing details
Recorder Etherington handed down a 22‑month sentence, suspended for two years. He added 120 hours of unpaid work, a Criminal Behaviour Order, four months of GPS monitoring and an 18‑month driving ban. The judge warned that any further breach could lead to a custodial term. Barrister Anne Asfaw said Bartley accepted full responsibility and expressed a desire to turn his life around.
“"I think sometimes you might think you can't turn it all around because it's all too daunting, but you can, bit by bit"”
Questions this report answers
01What sentence did Colin Bartley receive?
Bartley received a 22‑month prison term suspended for two years, together with 120 hours of unpaid work, a Criminal Behaviour Order, four months of GPS monitoring and an 18‑month driving ban, as recorded by Woolwich Crown Court.
02How much damage did the crash cause?
The crash on Hengist Road caused damage to a parked Nissan that was assessed at £13,000, according to the court hearing presented by Prosecutor Jessica Kayanja.
03What was the value of the stolen car found later?
The grey Lexus recovered in December 2025 was valued at £25,000. It was found at a traveller site on Thames Road, Crayford, and Bartley was identified as the driver at the time of recovery.
04What next steps must Bartley follow?
Bartley must complete 120 hours of unpaid work, adhere to the Criminal Behaviour Order, wear a GPS monitor for four months and stay off the road for 18 months. Breaching any condition could trigger a custodial sentence.
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