Jailed: Cocaine driver who hit speeds of 70mph around residential streets during police chase
A 21-year-old who "drove like a maniac" whilst being chased by the police around Black Country streets for over half an hour until his tyres deflated, has been jailed.
Nawaz Hassan was high on cocaine when police officers spotted him driving erratically just after midnight on September 18 last year.
He ignored the blue lights and led chasing officers on a high speed pursuit through Bearwood, Smethwick, Oldbury and Halesowen.
Wolverhampton Crown Court was shown ten minutes of the pursuit from the chasing police car's camera.
Hassan can be seen hitting speeds of over 70mph in residential streets and driving the wrong way down Bearwood High Street.
After a stinger was finally deployed the black hatchback, which was not Hassan's, came to a halt with deflated tyres.
Hassan, of Pool Road, Oldbury, was found to have a quantity of cocaine on him.
Hassan pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and cocaine possession at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court earlier this year, but was sentenced at crown court.
Prosecuting Ms Seamran Sidhu said: "Mr Hassan drove at speed and cars were damaged as a result. The video clearly shows the disregard he had for anyone else on the road that night."
In mitigation, Ms Franchesca Parerria said: "My client is of previous good character, he has no criminal record. He is ashamed of his actions and has not been in trouble with the law since. At the time of the crime he was drinking alcohol and taking cocaine, which he does not do anymore.
"He lives with his parents and his new wife, who is expecting their first child in two weeks. They would be negatively impacted if he was to receive a custodial sentence. He has health problems, suffering from blood clots, which means he cannot work, or undertake unpaid work as part of a sentence."
Justice Simon Ward told Hassan: "That clip of you driving was absolutely appalling. You drove like a maniac. It is just by sheer luck that no-one was killed that night due to your driving, including yourself and your passenger.
"People would see that clip and expect the driver to be locked up. And I would have to agree with them. Your loved ones will not lose the roof over their heads due to you being imprisoned."
He added: "Yes, you are married, you have the support of your family, but you did not care about that when you were driving so dangerously that night."
He added: "So I am sentencing you to immediate custody, I am giving you a 10 month sentence for the driving, I will not add an extra penalty for the cocaine. And you will also be disqualified for 12 months, and will have to retake your test."