Electric Car Fraudster Jailed
Man Jailed for Fraud and Dangerous Driving After Faking Runaway Electric Jaguar Claim
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A British man has been jailed after faking a brake failure in his electric Jaguar to dodge a car repossession, triggering a 38-mile police chase at speeds up to 86mph. Nathan Owen, 33, collided with a police car 31 times before officers finally stopped him on the M62 near Warrington, Cheshire, according to Leader Live.
Owen pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and two counts of fraud in June. Liverpool Crown Court sentenced him following an incident that forced motorway closures and caused significant disruption across the road network, Worcester News reported.
A Fake Emergency Call Sparked the Whole Crisis
Owen had fallen behind on payments for his Jaguar I-Pace, a finance deal he entered into in 2023. By March 2024, he owed around £5,000 to CA Auto Finance, according to Oxford Mail. He then called a loan company called Plata to borrow more money on top of £3,000 he had already taken from them. They turned him down.
Just five minutes after that rejection, Owen dialled 999. He claimed his car had no brakes and was completely out of control. In reality, he appeared to be trying to avoid having the car repossessed, Gazette and Herald reported. The fake distress call set off a major police response across several motorways.
31 Police Collisions Over a 38-Mile Motorway Run
Officers moved in to try to stop the Jaguar. Owen collided with a police car 31 times during the pursuit. He drove at speeds reaching 86mph as he moved across motorways over a 38-mile stretch, according to Somerset County Gazette.
The chase ended when police brought the car to a stop on the M62 near Warrington. The route taken caused several motorways to be closed. Authorities described the disruption as significant, with knock-on effects for other road users across the region.
Electric Car Defence Fooled No One in Court
Owen's claim rested on the idea that his electric Jaguar I-Pace had malfunctioned. Electric cars do use regenerative braking, which can feel different to drivers used to petrol vehicles. But prosecutors rejected the story entirely. Owen's own actions before the 999 call — being turned down for a loan — told a very different story.
He eventually pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and two counts of fraud. Liverpool Crown Court banned him from driving for five years, Worcester News reported. The sentence reflects how seriously courts treat deliberate hoaxes that endanger other drivers and emergency responders.
Finance Trouble Was the Root Cause of the Scheme
Owen's debt problems appear to have driven every part of this incident. He was in arrears with CA Auto Finance and had already borrowed £3,000 from Plata. When Plata refused to lend him more, he had no obvious way to keep the car. The fake emergency call was his apparent attempt to buy time or shift blame, Leader Live reported.
The case highlights the risks that come with car finance defaults. Rather than returning the vehicle or negotiating with lenders, Owen chose a path that put police officers and other motorists in real danger over 38 miles of motorway driving.
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