Dangerous Leeds driver with 'hopeless record' reached speeds of more than 100mph during police pursuit

Leeds Crown Court heard Craig Wright was already banned from driving when he got behind the wheel of a friend's BMW 320 on March 14 this year.

Police spotted the car in Whitehouse Lane, Leeds, and put on their blue lights, but Wright mounted the pavement and drove around their vehicle instead of stopping.

A pursuit began, with officers travelling at speeds of up to 90mph along Preston Lane in an attempt to keep up with the BMW.

Prosecutor Oliver Connor said Wright continued to drive at speed along an unlit road and travelled in excess of 100mph with the car's lights turned off.

The pursuit ended when a stinger was deployed in Wakefield Road and Wright ran off.

He was identified through dashcam footage which also showed there had been three passengers in the car.

Wright gave no comment when interviewed by police but later admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

The 36-year-old, of Fifth Avenue, Leeds, has 11 convictions for 32 offences, including dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.

Timothy Jacobs, mitigating, said Wright had struggled emotionally since 2017 and had "reacted badly" after suffering a number of bereavements, including the deaths of his son and father.

Riding horses at his friend's house is one of the methods that he uses to cope and he had been doing this on the day of the pursuit, Mr Jacobs said.

He said Wright was the only member of the group who had not been drinking and "foolishly agreed" to get behind the wheel when they then decided to go to another friend's house around 1.5 miles away.

Mr Jacobs said the BMW had been seized by police, meaning Wright now owed his friend the money to buy a new one.

He said he was a carer for his mother and his partner was pregnant, adding: "A custodial sentence will have an effect upon others. The effect on others will be a dramatic one and that's something Mr Wright is remorseful for."

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Sentencing him, Mr Recorder Ben Cox QC said: "You plainly put members of the public at risk, as indeed you put at risk those who were in the car with you - and yourself."

Noting Wright's repeated disregard for the Highway Code over the years, he added: "You have a hopeless record for driving while disqualified and dangerous driving."

He was jailed for 15 months and banned from driving for five years.