Lorry driver tasered in the mouth by police in Leeds after he drove wrong way up the M1 in 18-tonne truck during 50-mile chase

A lorry driver was tasered in the mouth by police after driving the wrong way up the M1 in a 50-mile chase in an 18-tonne heavy goods vehicle.
Richard Lynch was tasered in the mouth by police after 50-mile M1 chase in 18-tonne lorryRichard Lynch was tasered in the mouth by police after 50-mile M1 chase in 18-tonne lorry
Richard Lynch was tasered in the mouth by police after 50-mile M1 chase in 18-tonne lorry

A court heard how it was a "miracle" no one was killed as Richard Lynch drove the truck the wrong up the motorway.

Lynch also drove the wrong way on roundabouts and continued to drive when police used a stop stick to puncture the HGV's tyres.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Officers from three police forces were involved in the pursuit which ended when Lynch got the vehicle stuck on the central reservation of Belle Isle Road, Leeds.Leeds Crown Court heard police were carrying out an operation to detect HGVs being driven on cloned plates on July 18 this year.

Richard Lynch was tasered in the mouth by police after 50-mile M1 chase in 18-tonne lorryRichard Lynch was tasered in the mouth by police after 50-mile M1 chase in 18-tonne lorry
Richard Lynch was tasered in the mouth by police after 50-mile M1 chase in 18-tonne lorry

Lynch, 38, was seen driving an Iveco truck which had cloned plates near to junction 30 of the M1 south of Sheffield at 1.10am.

The defendant failed to stop for officers and headed north along the motorway.

Police put rolling road blocks in place but Lynch failed to stop. He continued to drive despite a stop stick being used to puncture the tyres.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lynch left the motorway at Durkar, Wakefield, but rejoined the southbound carriageway and continued to head north towards Leeds.

The HGV came to a stop on the central reservation of Belle Isle Road without its front two wheels.The HGV came to a stop on the central reservation of Belle Isle Road without its front two wheels.
The HGV came to a stop on the central reservation of Belle Isle Road without its front two wheels.

Dave Mackay, prosecuting, said police abandoned the pursuit on the grounds of public safety.

Read More
Angry burglar ransacked Scope charity shop after being turned down for a job

Lynch, who had a passenger in the vehicle, continued on into Leeds, leaving a trail of destruction to road signs and gouging road surfaces.

Both men abandoned the lorry when it became stuck on the grass central reservation on Belle Isle Road.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lynch, of no fixed address, was found hiding nearby and was tasered by officers as he was detained.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and having no insurance.

The court heard he has a previous conviction for dangerous driving.

He also suffered a dislocated arm.

Ms Whitehead said father-of-two Lynch had agreed to drive the lorry to pay off a debt.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lynch was jailed for 21 months. He was banned from driving for two years and ten months.

Judge Simon Phillips, QC, said: "It is no exaggeration when a police officer says it is a miracle that no one was killed.

"You engaged in a series of high risk manoeuvres."