Mazda driver abused Leeds officer who helped him from wreckage after high-speed chase
A known criminal shouted obscenities at an officer who helped him after he crashed into a wall and rolled his car during a high-speed police chase.
Grant Parr, who has multiple driving convictions, hit speeds of 90mph and almost smashed into a pub as he tried to outrun officers before crashing into a wall and flipping the vehicle onto its roof.
But having been helped from the smashed car, the indignant 31-year-old became abusive.
He was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week after admitting dangerous driving, driving while banned, without insurance and failing to provide a breath test.
Prosecutor Emily Jenkins said at around 12.40am on August 13 last year, police spotted the Mazda 3 on Town Street in Guiseley, which was flagged up as having no registered keeper or insurance.
Illuminating their blue lights around the Moorland Drive area, Parr failed to stop and accelerated to 40mph in a 20mph zone. Following him along Northfield Road and Chevin End Road, he reached 70mph.
He then narrowly avoided hitting the Chevin Inn pub on Chevin End Road, before running a red light on Bradford Road.
On Burley Road he reached 90mph in a 40mph zone on the wrong side of the road on blind bends towards Menston. He then lost control and hit a stone wall, causing the car to spin and then roll onto its roof.
The pursuing officer got out and helped him from the car, placing him in handcuffs as Parr became verbally abusive. He was taken to Leeds General Infirmary but refused to take a breath test.
Parr, of Blackpool Terrace, Farnley, has 13 previous convictions for 17 offences including dangerous driving and drug driving in 2019 for which he received a 16-month jail sentence and a 56-month driving ban. He caused a four-car pile-up while high on cocaine.
In 2023 he was convicted of failing to provide a specimen for analysis and driving while banned. For that he received a 12-month suspended sentence and a three-year ban.
Last year he was stopped and again failed to provide a specimen. He received 26 weeks’ jail and a driving ban until March 2030.
Mitigating for his latest offending, Mollie Briggs conceded she had “very little to say” other than that Parr knew his driving was “appalling” and was aware an immediate custodial sentence was “likely”.
She said: “He had a problem with cocaine at the time, he owed money to drug dealers and were effectively sending him to pick up cars to pay back the drug debt. This was one of those cars.
“He knew if the police stopped him they would take that car and cause more problems with the drug dealers. He made the stupid decision to try and avoid the police.”
Ms Briggs said he no longer drank alcohol or took drugs, was working as a plumber and had since cleared his debt. She added: “He has shown the motivation to turn his life around.”
Judge Kate Rayfield told him: “You know I have to send you immediately to prison, there are no other options available to me today.”
She gave him a 14-month jail sentence, and a new 43-month driving ban.