Drink driver was more than three times the limit when he rammed police car in Leeds street after argument with his wife

A drink driver rammed a police car when he crashed after refusing to stop for officers as he drove while more then three times the limit after arguing with his wife.
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Zulfiqar Ali had spent the day drinking whisky before getting into his car and driving to a 24-hour shop after his partner locked him out of their home on May 8 this year.

Leeds Crown Court heard officers signalled for the 47-year-old to pull over on Easterly Road at around 3am.

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Ali refused and reached dangerous speeds in residential areas in Oakwood, Harehills and Gipton.

Carly Green, prosecuting, said officers switched on sirens on Montague Street but the defendant still failed to stop.

He drove his Nissan Micra at 40mph in a 20mph zone on Foundry Avenue and crossed junctions without stopping.

The pursuit continued along Easterly Mount, St Wilfrids Circus, North Farm Road and Easterly Road.

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The defendant then put the vehicle into reverse and crashed into a police car before being arrested from the vehicle.

Officers described how Ali was unsteady on his feet, slurring his words and had to be helped into a police vehicle.

A breath test showed him to be close to three and a half times the drink drive limit.

Ali, of Hollin Park Road, Oakwood, pleaded guilty to drink driving, dangerous driving and criminal damage.

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Probation officer Mick Berry said Ali has no previous convictions and had lead a "blameless and creditworthy" life up until the offending.

The court heard Ali worked as a driver transporting vulnerable adults and children.

His employer is standing by him despite the convictions and has found him a different role.

Mr Berry said: "For the first time in his life he found himself in a set of domestic circumstances that were getting on top of him and proving to be problematic.

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"He and his wife started to bicker and argue and were struggling in the confines of the property.

"On that particular day there had been an argument."

The court heard Ali argued with his wife after drinking whisky and she locked him out of the property when he went outside to get some fresh air.

Mr Berry said: "He found himself with the car keys in his pocket and made the decision to drive away from the property.

"He thought he would go to a 24-hour shop and buy some cigarettes and allow the situation to calm down."

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Andrew Dallas, mitigating, said his client was sorry and ashamed of what he had done.

Mr Dallas said Ali put his car into reverse after crashing but it had not been been a deliberate attempt to damage the police car.

Ali was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He was ordered to do 250 hours of unpaid work and was disqualified from driving for three years.