Driver so drunk he could not stand

A DRUNKEN driver who led police on a 20-mile chase along the M62 has been jailed for 16 months.

Mohammed Naim Rashid later refused to give a breath test but sentencing him yesterday at Leeds Crown Court Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said from what he had seen of footage of the pursuit: “You were so intoxicated you were incapable of controlling your vehicle properly.”

Having collided with the central reservation barrier he was shown “driving erratically, weaving in and out across carriageways, across hatched areas and on the hard shoulder. On several occasion the officer pulled alongside you and you refused to stop.”

When he was eventually arrested some 18 minutes later the judge said Rashid was incapable of standing unaided.

The judge added: “I note in the pre-sentence report you had consumed two half-litre bottles of vodka. It is perfectly obvious the reason you refused to comply with the procedure was that you knew you would be vastly over the limit.”

Thomas Stanway, prosecuting, said police received multiple 999 calls around 12.30am on July 22 about a black VW Touran being driven erratically on the M62 westbound around junction 27.

Within minutes officers were behind the vehicle and saw it collide with the central reservation but continue driving.

The following police car illuminated blue lights but Rashid refused to stop and was weaving across lanes. At some stages he braked down to 36mph but would then speed up again when the officer got alongside him.

On one section of the motorway he reached 94mph in wet and windy conditions.

Rashid was eventually stopped close to Junction 22 at Rishworth Moor and when he was removed from the vehicle he was unco-operative and abusive.

He was taken to Huddersfield police station where he refused to provide a specimen of breath.

He was interviewed later and admitted his offences, expressing remorse saying he was glad he had not killed anyone. The court heard he had a previous conviction in 2010 for driving over the prescribed limit.

Michael Walsh, representing Rashid, said he had received bad information about his father’s health and accepted “it was the straw that broke the camel’s back.” He was drinking heavily and realised he had made a foolish decision to get behind the wheel of his car.

Since then he had sought help for that problem and had taken a seven-day detoxification course. He had also expressed remorse to the police by taking chocolates to the police station to apologise to those who had to deal with him.

Rashid, 41 of Parliament Place, Armley, Leeds admitted dangerous driving, failing to provide a specimen, having no insurance or licence.

Judge Marson told him a prison sentence was inevitable and disqualified him from driving for five years from his release.