An ‘utterly stupid’ disqualified driver who led police on a high speed chase around Hyndburn has been jailed.
Salim Shah, of Blackburn Road, Great Harwood, was spotted by police in a red BMW as he was driving back with friends from a night out in Manchester, a court heard.
When officers realised the 25-year-old was disqualified and uninsured they activated their blue lights before Shah sped off and drove over a police stinger device.
Burnley Crown Court heard how he led police on a seven-minute chase with deflated tyres through narrow residential streets in Accrington, Altham West and Clayton-le-Moors.
He reached speeds of 60mph in 30mph zones and 40mph in 20mph zones and on one occasion went through a red light.
Shah pleaded guilty to to dangerous driving and driving while disqualified and without insurance. He was jailed for 12 months and disqualified from driving for 30 months.
Stephen Parker, prosecuting, told the court how the offence happened on November 19 this year and Shah was subject at the time to two driving disqualification orders made by the courts.
Shah was spotted near the Rising Bridge rounabout at 3am and police following him through Huncoat and Accrington before activating their blue lights.
Mr Parker said there was ‘very little slowing down at give way signs’ from Shah and he drove through a red light and on narrow residential streets with cars parked on both sides.
The roads Shah travelled along included Burnley Road, Queens Road, Haywood Road, Lime Road, Marlborough Road, Ribblesdale Avenue, Livingstone Road, Whalley Road, Dill Hall Lane, Atlas Street, Read Street, Waterloo Street and Sydney Street.
The court heard that Shah was previously jailed for 16 months in 2014 for dangerous driving.
The Observer reported at the time how Shah had filmed himself being chased at high speed by police during the incident that led to the earlier jail sentence.
At the previous hearing, the court heard that on the selfie video, which showed the last 30 seconds of the chase through Accrington and Great Harwood, Shah said ‘this is the best isn’t it?’ before telling arresting officers ‘It was a good chase wasn’t it?’.
Addressing the camera, he said: “I’m going to prison now as you can see.
“I’m being jailed by the police. I will probably be out in what six months.”
'The potential for death or serious injury was considerable' - Judge
Judge Jonathan Gibson said it was lucky no-one was killed during Shah’s latest offence of dangerous driving.
Sentencing, he said: “You tried to outrun the police over quite a distance in a built up residential area. This was a case of serious excessive speed. There was no injuries or serious damage, but the potential for death or serious injury was considerable.
“It would only have taken one pedestrian to be in the wrong place at the wrong time for that to have occurred.
Your position is also aggravated by your previous convictions including two dangerous driving convictions.”
Marianne Alton, defending, said Shah was ‘utterly stupid’ and has a ‘big problem with driving’.
She told the court: “He knows this will be dealt with by a prison sentence. He is realistic.
“His record relates almost wholly to driving and he recognises the extent of his problem.
“His judgement becomes clouded when it comes to cars and he’s at the point now where he needs help and he’s trying to get that help.
“He genuinely wishes to reform and is genuinely ashamed of himself and the shame he has caused to his family.
“This is a bad piece of driving but it’s perhaps not the worst example of dangerous driving that comes before the courts.
“There is no suggestion that he was driving dangerously before the police tried to stop him.”
Miss Alton said it was ‘sheer panic’ when he saw the pursuing police car and he didn’t realise he had gone through a stinger.
The court heard how ‘teetotaller’Shah had offered to drive friends home who had been drinking after a night in Manchester.
