A DRUG driver who went against the flow of traffic on a roundabout with his two-year-old child and wife in the car during a police chase.
A judge said it “beggars belief” that the defendant had driven with cocaine in his system in such a dangerous manner, while a child was in the vehicle.
Shane Boswell was described as someone who "picks and chooses which laws to obey" and "has no regard for members of the public or society in general".
Just a few months earlier, Boswell had been caught with a knife in the driver’s door of a car, and claimed he had used it for hunting rabbits.
Boswell, who has a previous record for motoring offences, was sent to prison as he appeared in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court.
Prosecuting barrister Suzanne Payne outlined the circumstances of Boswell’s offences, which related to three separate incidents.
The first, on July 6, last year, saw Boswell caught with a knife in the driver’s door of a car on Canberra Avenue, in Thatto Heath.
He also admitted to a public disorder offence at a police station on the same day.
Meanwhile, on October 14, 2025, Boswell drove at 50mph in a 20mph zone while he was being pursued by police, near to the location of a school.
The pursuit saw him perform an “obviously dangerous manoeuvre” as he drove against traffic at a roundabout on Lowfield lane, Lea Green.
The court heard Boswell’s wife and two-year-old child were in the vehicle at the time.
He was driving without insurance and after he was arrested, he tested positive for cocaine after giving a blood sample.
A month later, on November 14, the defendant was caught driving with drugs in his system and uninsured again, this time in a Ford Transit van on Elephant Lane, Thatto Heath.
Boswell refused to provide a saliva sample and was arrested and later tested positive for cocaine, and gave a “no comment” interview to police.
Boswell, 28, had four previous convictions for seven offences, the court heard, which included a case of knife possession in 2021.
His previous offending also included for drug driving and driving while disqualified.
Defending Boswell, of Sherdley Road, Sutton, Julian Nutter asked for Boswell to be given credit for his guilty pleas.
He said in relation to the knife offence that the weapon “was not brandished”.
Asking judge Ian Harris to spare his client immediate prison, he said Boswell’s previous knife offence was back in 2021, arguing there were “exceptional circumstances” for him not to be sent to jail.
He said Boswell is from the travelling community and worked as a roofer, and has four children.
Mr Nutter added his client was “addicted to cocaine and he has managed to get himself off that drug with the support of his family”.
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Judge Harris, however, said it is “inevitable” that Boswell was to be given immediate custody.
The judge said aggravating factors included Boswell’s relevant previous convictions, and that the “later two sets of offences were committed while on bail or having been released under investigation”.
In relation to the knife offence, the judge said to Boswell “you told the probation officer you used it for hunting and killing rabbits.
“As the officer comments, it is difficult (to know) why you would have a knife in the driver side door, if you used it for hunting.
“You knew full well it was unlawful to have a blade.”
'You have no regard for society'
Judge Harris added: “You have a complete lack of regard for driving standards expected of you.
"You justify your offending as a consequence of providing for your family, although it appears you put your own needs above all else.
“It beggars belief that you should have a two-year-old child in your car while intoxicated and driving dangerously.
“It seems to me you pick and choose which laws you obey and have no regard for members of the public or society generally.”
The judge noted Boswell has a “history of poor compliance of court orders. It’s not likely you would comply with non-custodial orders.”
The judge noted that Boswell had sadly lost a daughter but added that “doesn’t really excuse your behaviour”.
He added the probation officer deemed Boswell a “high risk of serious harm” to others.
Judge Harris gave Boswell a five-month term for the knife possession, with a one-month concurrent sentence for the public disorder, which involved “homophobic behaviour with no place in modern society”.
Boswell was given a consecutive 12-month sentence for the dangerous driving in relation to the second incident offences, with concurrent four-month terms for the drug driving counts in relation to this and no separate penalty for driving without insurance.
For the drug driving offence in the Transit van, he gave Boswell a further two months to be served consecutively, making an overall 19-month prison term.
The defendant was also banned from driving for five years and 10 months.
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