Drink-driver led police on 70mph chase

ADRINK driver who led police on a high speed chase through Oswaldtwistle failed to stop her BMW even after police deployed two ‘stinger’ devices, a court has heard.

NHS worker Kyanath Mahmood, 22, reached speeds of more than 70mph in 30mph zones on Blackburn Road, Thwaites Road, Stanhill Road and Union Street while she was being pursued by police vehicles.

Prosecutor Stephen Parker showed Burnley Crown Court a seven minute video clip taken from a police car following her of the events which happened at round 1.30am on June 25 this year. He said: “The officers’ patrol car was heading towards Blackburn when the defendant’s white BMW, travelling in the opposite direction veered across the white line and narrowly missed striking them.

“The police car turned around and pursued her catching her up on Stanhill Road.

“The defendant travelled at high speeds in the late 60s and early 70s through residential streets with cars parked on both sides and drove over the middle of more than one mini-roundabout.”

At one point Mahmood tried to evade those pursuing her by going round a roundabout twice.

Mr Parker told the court that other police vehicles ahead of the chase laid two stinger devices as Mahmood’s car left Oswaldtwistle and headed on to Accrington Road in Blackburn.

He said with its tyres punctured the BMW slowed to speeds of around 20mph but still did not stop.

The car eventually came to a halt on a service station forecourt in Audley Range.

Mr Parker said Mahmmood would not leave the locked vehicle so officers were forced to smash a window to arrest her.

A roadside breath test registered 52 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35.

In interview she answered no comment to all questions.

Mahmood pleaded guilty to a one count of dangerous driving and another of drink driving.

The court heard she had a previous conviction for drink driving in August 2018.

Duncan Nightingale, defending, said his client had been ‘extremely foolish’.

He said Mahmood, of Walter Street, Blackburn, had been suffering from ‘a complete lack of focus’ at the time of the offence but had since got a full time job in the NHS.

Judge Philip Parry adjourned sentencing until September 26 at Preston and told her in order to suspend any custodial sentence she would have to prove to him her employers would be prepared to let her keep her job once they were informed of her convictions.