Mistaken identity sparked 80mph police chase in Tipton
A case of mistaken identity spooked a nervous motorist into a high speed chase through Black Country streets, a judge heard.
Police searching for a Ford Focus followed the one being driven by Ibrar Mohammed for a short distance while checks were made on the vehicle.
But before the inquiry could reveal the car had nothing to do with the investigation it had accelerated up to 80mph in a 30mph zone in a desperate bid to escape, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
The 29-year-old driver had seen the police car - with neither siren nor flashing lights deployed - in his rear view mirror and feared the worst.
His passenger disclosed he had some drugs and Mohammed did not wait to discover how much the friend was carrying before racing away.
Mr Kevin Jones prosecuting explained: "Police were looking for an unrelated Ford Focus and were travelling behind this car while some checks were made. These eliminated it from the inquiry but by then the motorist was driving dangerously."
Mohammed careered over speed humps, hurtled out of junctions without stopping, drove on the wrong side of the road forcing other traffic to take evasive action and went through at least two sets of red traffic lights.
The seven minute chase on March 2 started in Bloomfield Road in Tipton and ended on Birmingham New Road near its junction with Tividale Road, Tividale where Mohammed tried to run away, but was caught by pursuing police after a short foot chase.
Miss Jabeen Akhtar, defending, conceded: "His driving was pretty appalling.
"When he realised the police car was behind him his passenger revealed he had some drugs. The defendant panicked and did not inquire about the quantity. This would have revealed it was a small amount consistent with personal use for which the passenger has been fined in another court."
Mohammed, of Walford Street, Oldbury pleaded guilty to dangerous driving. He was given a six months jail sentence suspended for a year, banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to pay £1,500 costs with 150 hours unpaid work.
Judge Helen Hughes told him: "You totally ignored the police, went up to 80 mph, drove on the wrong side of the road, came out of junctions without pausing and went through red lights. Somebody could have been very seriously injured or killed at the speed you were driving."
