Dad-of-two claimed he did not know he was banned after high-speed Leeds chase

A labourer who said he was unaware he needed to re-take his driving test before leading police on a high-speed chase has been told his claims were “nonsense”.
By Nick Frame
Published 22nd Feb 2023, 11:45 BST
Updated 23rd Feb 2023, 16:18 BST
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Daniel Otene was banned from the road in 2017, but pleaded ignorance after a chase in October 2021 in which police had to use a stinger to help bring him to a halt.

He was jailed for 12 months at Leeds Crown Court this week by Judge Ray Singh, who told him: “You have troubled the courts on many occasions, in particular, dangerous driving in 2017. You knew fully well that you needed to take an extended driving test before you could drive.

"To say you didn’t know, I find that patently nonsense.”

Otene ran red lights after his car was stung on Chain Bar Roundabout.Otene ran red lights after his car was stung on Chain Bar Roundabout.
Otene ran red lights after his car was stung on Chain Bar Roundabout.
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Otene was behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta that officers tried to pull over on the afternoon of October 14, 2021 on Elland Road in Leeds.

He then turned onto Cottingley Drive and onto the ring road where he accelerated away. With the police fearing he was about to turn onto the wrong side of the motorway, they pulled alongside him and made “tactical contact” to prevent the manoeuvre.

With other police cars joining the chase, he reached speeds up to 90mph on the busy M62, undertaking traffic and using the hard shoulder. As he entered the slip road for the M606 a police stinger was deployed that burst one his tyres but he continued onto Chain Bar Roundabout, running red lights.

He then turned into housing estate towards Cleckheaton and tried to get out and run when he came to a dead end, but was blocked by the arriving police car. He was arrested and it was found the Fiesta was on cloned registration plates.

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Otene, of Charles Street, Castleford, gave a no-comment interview, but later admitted a charge of dangerous driving.

Mitigating, Shila Whitehead said he is a father of two and wishes he could “turn the clocks back”, asking for one more chance.

But Judge Singh told him: “It was a serious, long piece of driving at excessive speeds on busy roads and motorways that was clearly dangerous to other road users. It was only good fortune that nobody was hurt. It must be an immediate prison sentence.”

He also banned Otene from driving for 42 months.