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'Pure chance' no one killed in Wolverhampton danger drive

It was 'pure chance' that no-one was killed when a man led police in a pursuit on Black Country roads, a court heard.

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Police first noticed Muzzmal Taj's driving when the Audi he was driving was reversed toward their marked car, which was stopped at a red light on Ring Road St David's in Wolverhampton at about 8pm on March 7.

The driver sounded the horn as a warning, and Taj drove off when the light changed.

After he made a number of lane changes and cut in front of another car officers decided to stop Taj, but after pulling over in an unsafe area, he sped off in a 'large cloud of smoke'.

Mr Robert Edwards, prosecuting, said the pursuit continued along Birmingham Road, and saw Taj reaching speeds of 50mph in 30mph zones, and driving around cars stopped at traffic signals to run red lights.

Taj headed back toward Wolverhampton city centre, again running red lights, swerving across lanes causing other drivers to brake sharply, and crossing over to the wrong side of the road several times.

Mr Edwards said once he got to Willenhall Street, Taj was forced to brake sharply as he approached a wall, and then ran from the car.

A police helicopter had been deployed to monitor the pursuit, and helped locate the 37-year-old.

Taj, of Southern Road, Birmingham, had earlier pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified.

The court heard Taj has 10 previous convictions for driving whilst disqualified, and seven for resisting or obstructing police officers.

He was also sectioned under the Mental Health Act in July.

During sentencing, Judge Stephen Eyre QC said: "Your dangerous driving involved driving at speed to avoid being arrested by police officers.

"It is pure good chance no-one was killed or seriously injured as a result of your driving.

"You have a host of previous convictions...and you have shown you persistently defy the law. Your own account and previous convictions show that depressive illness is not the cause of your offending.

"I am conscious there is a real risk that going to prison will hinder your mental health, but you can't use your health problems as some kind of get out of jail free card."

There will be treatment available for him in prison, Judge Eyre said, sentencing him to 14 months' prison, 12 months' supervision, and disqualifying him from driving for two years.

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