100mph chase after drinking

A drink-driver rammed a taxi off the road then sparked a 23minute police chase at speeds of over 100mph in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

Saqib Zaman stopped the Audi S3 he was driving after he crashed into a cab on the High Level Bridge in Newcastle but then removed his vehicle’s number plates and rammed the taxi out of the way so he could drive off.

The 26-year-old, who was twice the drink-drive limit, drove at more than 100mph along the Felling bypass and, even after multiple police cars were on his tail, continued at dangerously high speed through Boldon, Sunderland and onto the A19.

He was eventually stopped, after a 23minute pursuit, during which he drove through red lights and travelled at high speed through built-up areas, when his vehicle was “boxed in” by four police cars on the main road.

A judge said it was a “miracle” nobody was injured or killed.

Zaman, of St Leonards Street, Bradford, pleaded guilty to two charges of dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident, failing to report an accident, driving while over the alcohol limit, having no insurance and failing to stop when required to do so.

Judge Robert Adams sentenced him to 18 months behind bars with a 27-month road ban.

The judge told him: “Although this was the middle of the night, your speeds were so fast that the danger you posed was enormous.

“It is a miracle no serious accident was caused and no one suffered great loss, was killed or seriously injured by your driving.

“It was an appalling act of very fast driving.”