Reformed gangster led police on 90mph chase through residential Black Country streets
A former gang member allegedly playing an important role in efforts to bring peace in a West Midland turf war has been jailed for 12 months.
Simeon Moore led police on a terrifying chase through parts of Walsall and Bloxwich at three times the 30mph limit, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
The 33-year-old father of two raced along at up to 90mph.
And he was travelling at 45mph or more when he tore through three sets of red lights without stopping, said Mr Paul Spratt, prosecuting.
At one stage Moore, of Cleeve Road, Bloxwich, turned off the lights on his car as he sped through residential streets, careered over a level crossing in Leamore Lane, Walsall, at 80mph and reached 60mph past Bloxwich police station.
He bounced over speed bumps in Cresswell Crescent, Bloxwich, at 70 mph, hit a kerb wrecking a wheel and abandoned the car. Then he refused to give a breath test after being arrested.
Mr Spratt said: "There were 14 instances of dangerous driving during the pursuit."
Moore ignored a police request to stop after cutting across lanes while heading towards Walsall shortly after leaving the M6 at Junction 10 around 5.30am on October 24 last year.
He was once affiliated to the Johnson Crew and had been credited with stopping violence between that gang and the rival Burger Bar Boys in the past.
Mr Roy Robinson, a 56-year-old described as an independent advisor on gang violence to Home Secretary Theresa May, told the court: "He came under severe pressure from gang members after making the transition and leaving that kind of lifestyle.
"We have had a massive rise in gang violence in Birmingham recently with kids as young as 12 and 13 firing guns but because of his background they look up to him. He is valuable to us and our efforts to control the situation."
Miss Nicola Hunter, defending, said: "Society would be better off if the defendant was allowed to carry on with this work rather than being sent to prison."
But Moore, who admitted dangerous driving and failing to give a sample for analysis, was sent to prison by Recorder Ciaran Rankin who said: "It has been said that you have done many positive things.
"You should have thought about that before setting off on this sustained piece of appalling driving."
