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Leeds Live
Leeds Live
National
Stephanie Finnegan

Disqualified driver jailed after high-speed police chase in Leeds

A disqualified driver who led police on a three-mile high-speed chase in west Leeds has been jailed.

Damon Holmes had been banned from driving for two years when he led police on a chase that ended with him crashing into a lamppost.

Police were on patrol in a marked car on Elder Road in Bramley when they spotted a Honda CR-V at 7.20pm on September 24 last year.

Andrew Horton, prosecuting, said: "There was some issue about who owned the car. Police illuminated the blue lights and sirens."

The 29-year-old dad accelerated, overtook traffic and ran red lights, reaching speeds of up to 60mph in 30mph zones.

He drove onto the A647 Stanningley Bypass and immediately entered the outside lane, causing other drivers to brake heavily.

He continued driving for about a mile before turning off at a slip road, mounting the pavement and crashing into a lamppost.

Leeds Crown Court heard he ran off but was caught and told an officer who had pulled out a Taser: "I give up."

 

Holmes, who lives with his partner and their four children in Wesley View, Pudsey, Leeds, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

He has nine convictions for 21 offences, including aggravated vehicle taking as a youth, dangerous driving and assault.

In 2016, he was disqualified from driving for five years.

Probation officer Mick Berry said Holmes has psychosis which played a part in the most recent offence and previously used cocaine and cannabis.

He said Holmes had been at his dad's house when his brother who has learning difficulties went missing so he took his car out to find him and panicked when he drove past police.

Stuart Field, mitigating, said: "At the time of this offence he was not on any medication."

'You put yourself at risk, you put other road users at risk, you put members of the public at risk and you put police at risk'

Jailing Holmes for a year, Judge Tom Bayliss QC said: "You knew what you were doing that day. This was quite deliberate driving and it was driving to get away from the police.

"This was a very bad case of dangerous driving whilst you were disqualified.

"You put yourself at risk, you put other road users at risk, you put members of the public at risk and you put police at risk."

Holmes was also disqualified from driving for three years and five months.

His partner sat in the public gallery during the sentencing hearing and they told each other they loved each other as he was sent down.

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