Blind bends, red lights and a children's playground: 109mph chase driver is jailed

The pursuit began in Kidderminster, hurtled through Norton at three times the speed limit and ended in a children's playground.

Mohammed Arif switched off the lights on his silver Vauxhall Corsa while careering along unlit rural roads in the early hours of the morning.

The 25-year-old repeatedly lost control of the car but kept going despite smashing into a wall, explained Mr Philip Beardwell, prosecuting.

The defendant overtook a vehicle on a blind bend at 90mph before going the wrong way round two traffic islands, ignoring a red traffic light, travelling the wrong way down a one-way street and hurtling straight across a blind junction.

Finally he turned onto a grassed area off South Road, Stourbridge, and drove round a deserted children's play area before abandoning the car. He was found hiding in nearby bushes.

Mr Beardwell said Arif did a U-turn and sped off in the opposite direction when first ordered to stop by a police patrol in Kidderminster around 2.30am on September 22.

Arif had previous convictions for several offences including driving when banned and aggravated vehicle taking. Mr Simon Hanns, defending, said: "This was an incredibly poor piece of driving and his antecedents do not make attractive reading."

Arif, of Birchfield Road, Perry Barr, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and having no insurance. He was jailed for 15 months months and banned from driving for three years.