Suspended Jail Term After ‘Slowest Ever Police Chase’

A man has been given a suspended jail term after stealing a narrowboat that led to ‘the slowest Police chase ever.’

Ian Silman took the barge, worth £44,500, from North Kilworth Marina early on September 5th last year.

Police tracked its movement south along the Grand Union Canal, and travelled by road to intercept the boat 13 miles away near Watford in Northamptonshire, where the 47-year-old was arrested.

Silman, of Aldwych Avenue, Blackpool, had daubed paint over the barge’s name, ‘Elusive No 1’, and its registration number to conceal its identity, but officers from Leicestershire & Northamptonshire were still able to spot it chugging up the water.

News of the incident spread far and wide at the time, after officers Tweeted about it, with a number of national newspapers featuring the story.

Pc Steve Winn, from Market Harborough Police Station, was one of those involved:

Leicester Crown Court was told Silman used to own the boat, but sold it 18 months before committing the theft, during a period he was suffering from depression.

He admitted theft of the canal boat and causing damage to paintwork and was given an eight month jail sentence, suspended for two years, with a 15 day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He was also ordered to do 140 hours of unpaid work and pay £375 court costs.

Officers from Leicestershire & Northamptonshire Police who intercepted the boat Pic: Harborough Police

Police after intercepting the narrowboat Pic: Harborough Police