'Miracle nobody hurt' by crack-smoking Audi driver during wrong-way chase on M62, Leeds court hears
A driver high on crack-cocaine and vodka led police on death-defying chase the wrong way along the M62.
Just minutes before, Mohammed Malik reached speeds up to 100mph on A roads as he tried to lose chasing officers.
The police helicopter was scrambled to follow him and eventually led ground officers to arrest him when he stopped.
A judge at Leeds Crown Court said it was a “miracle” nobody was seriously injured or killed, before jailing Malik.
The court heard police had been on patrol in the Normanton area on the evening of July 18 when they spotted Malik’s Audi setting off at speed and overtaking in residential areas.
They tried to pull him over but he accelerated to 90mph in a 40mph zone as other oncoming vehicles were forced to take evasive action to prevent a collision.
He then reached 100mph on the 40mph-limit Birkwood Road before running a red light.
He overtook a taxi on a blind bend at speed and then entered the M62 eastbound carriageway, heading west into oncoming cars.
The 34-year-old reached the Lofthouse Interchange where he went the wrong way along the M1 on the hard shoulder.
He eventually stopped after the 23-minute chase and the hovering helicopter was able to pinpoint his whereabouts.
Officers arrived and arrested him. Prosecutor Lea Levine said they noticed he smelt of alcohol and appeared to be on drugs, but he refused to co-operate for roadside testing.
He did admit to officers that he had been smoking crack cocaine and drinking vodka and cola.
Malik, of no fixed address, has 10 previous convictions for 20 offences, stemming from 2009. They include dangerous driving, driving while banned, being over the drug-drive limit and drug dealing.
Appearing in court this week from HMP Doncaster, where he was being held on remand, he admitted dangerous driving, refusing to provide a specimen for analysis, driving without insurance and possession of Class A drugs after a small quantity was found on his arrest.
He was already on a suspended sentence for possession of drugs at the time of the police chase.
Mitigating, Ella Embleton said Malik understood that prison was “appropriate”.
She added: “He is clearly someone who has an issue with cocaine, that’s his achilles heel.
“He is sorry for his offending. It’s clear he regrets it and now realises how harmful his misuse of cocaine can be.”
The judge, Recorder Taryn Turner, told Malik: “You have quite an appalling record for driving and drug offences.
“It’s striking that you do not appear to have learned your lesson. That nobody was injured, it’s a miracle really.”
She gave him 18 months-and-two-weeks’ jail, and banned him from driving for more than 45 months.