Armed moped rider narrowly missed hitting three children during police chase through Leeds

Christopher Walker, 38, mounted pavements, undertook vehicles and went the wrong way around a roundabout during a police chase.

Officers spotted Walker and a passenger on the moped in Harehills at 7.40pm on October 21 last year.

Police decided to stop the vehicle on Nippet Lane after a spate of crime involving mopeds in the area.

As they pulled in front of the moped, Walker manoeuvred around their vehicle and drove the wrong way down Beckett Street.

A chase followed and Walker performed a series of dangerous manoeuvres, reaching speeds of 48mph in a 30mph zone.

After his passenger had alighted, he drove onto the large central reservation on Roundhay Road, causing pedestrians to have to jump out the way.

Ayman Khokhar, prosecuting, said Walker showed “no thought to other road users” as he continued to drive at high speeds through a residential area.

Mr Kokhar added: “Three children had to actively move out of the way of the defendant.”

The chase eventually came to an end when Walker went over a pavement and crashed into a police vehicle.

He fell from the scooter and was detained.

He immediately admitted that he had a cosh weapon in his pocket.

Police later found that Walker was uninsured and only had a provisional licence, so was not lawfully allowed to carry a passenger.

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Walker, of Lonsdale Close, Leeds, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and carrying an offensive weapon in a public place at the earliest opportunity.

He has 13 previous convictions for 14 offences, most of which are related to drugs.

Mitigating for Walker, Shila Whitehead said he accepted his behaviour was “unacceptable”.

She added: “He does regret his actions, he has been remorseful and he is showing willingness to change.”

The judge, Recorder Marco Giuliani, said Walker’s actions were so serious that only an immediate jail sentence was suitable.

He added: “You had no concern, at all, for pedestrians or other motorists when you were trying to evade police.”

Walker was sentenced to 16 months in jail.

He was also disqualified from driving for two years and eight months and ordered to take an extended retest.