100mph driver jailed over red light horror crash

David White was being pursued by police when disaster struck at the junction of Wolverhampton Road and Causeway Green Road in Oldbury on December 10 last year.

The Audi S3 – stolen from an address in Dudley less than a month earlier and on false plates – hurtled into the driver’s side of the Toyota which had right of way as it travelled across his path through a green light, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

Both vehicles were hurled on to their roofs by the impact, said Mr David Swinnerton, prosecuting, who continued: “The defendant had been travelling on a dual carriageway at 100mph in a 40 limit as it went through the red light. It was grossly excessive speed.”

The 34-year-old defendant managed to clamber out of the wreckage, leaving his passenger hanging upside down, and tried to flee the scene on foot but was quickly caught.

Taxi driver Mohammed Shakoor had to be cut free from the tangled metal suffering from a fractured spine and rib as well as internal bleeding.

The police chase started when the defendant realised an unmarked police car crewed by officers in uniform had drawn up alongside him at an earlier set of lights.

He knew the stolen car was on false plates and feared they would stop him, so accelerated away into the distance going through one set of lights which were in his favour before the horrifying crash.

White was on licence after an early release from a prison sentence when the incident occurred.

He had a long list of previous convictions, including conspiracy to rob which earned him a seven-year jail term.

He was arrested at the scene before being released under investigation but was not charged until September this year, the court was told.

Mr Oliver Woolhouse, defending, observed: “He was extremely fortunate to walk away unscathed, as was his passenger.”

The defendant, from no fixed address, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was also banned from driving for three years on release from prison.