Man jailed after police chase (From Warrington Guardian)

Salford man jailed following police chase in Warrington

12:00pm Friday 14th September 2012 in News

A MAN twice disqualified from driving after drinking was caught speeding at more than 100mph while still serving his ban.

Irfan Hanif, aged 24 from north Salford, decided to drive despite drinking alcohol, because he though he was the safest driver of his passengers said Judge David Hale.

Judge Hale added: “People get killed that way and I sometimes have to deal with the aftermath. Driving a car when you haven’t got proper control of it is a very serious thing.”

He was spotted by officers at Knutsford services on the M6 at 4am on March 10 driving at 100mph.

They gave chase, clocking up speeds of 130mph without gaining ground on the Kia he was driving.

Police cars including an unmarked BMW boxed the vehicle in on three sides as it approached the Thelwall Viaduct and it appeared Hanif was responding to the police lights.

But the court heard he accelerated and undertook the front police car and turned on to Manchester Road at junction 21.

A police helicopter joined in the chase and found the car crashed into a fence on Padgate Lane with passengers inside but Hanif was nowhere to be seen.

He was tracked down by police dogs.

Warrington Crown Court heard on Monday how he also had six previous convictions for driving while disqualified.

Bob Sastry, defending, said Hanif had been plagued by alcohol and was influenced by the people around him.

He added: “He has tried to move away from that sort of influence. His wife is expecting a child in five months. Perhaps he’s ready to behave maturely now at a later stage than others. It’s clear he’s going to have to stay away from cars.”

Sentencing him to eight months in prison for dangerous driving, a two-month consecutive sentence for driving with excess alcohol and for driving while disqualified, Judge Hale said: “You have shown yourself constantly incapable of dealing with orders of disqualification.

“You have to understand that if you drive during disqualification you will get consistent prison sentences. Do you think that’s what your wife and child needs?

“You will be out before your baby is born and you should realise how much your wife is going through with people knocking on the door wanting their money which she can’t pay because you’re not working and looking after her. That should be an extra punishment of you knowing what she is going through.”