Danger driver reached 120mph during M62 police chase

A driver who reached speeds of 120mph as he tried to escape police during a Sunday morning pursuit along the M62 in West Yorkshire has been jailed for three years.

A court heard how police officers had tried to stop Daryl Cook less than two hours earlier when he was driving a Vauxhall Corsa at about 100mph on the A15 in Lincolnshire, but that pursuit was halted because it was too dangerous.

By 9.15am Cook, who had taken the car from a house in Kent, was on the M62 and when officers tried to stop him again he drove off at high-speed between junctions 29 and 22.

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Bradford Crown Court heard that the 33-year-old, of no fixed abode, had only been released from prison a few days earlier after serving a sentence for two robberies in Kent.

Daryl CookDaryl Cook
Daryl Cook

During the M62 pursuit last month Cook was seen weaving in and out of traffic and driving along the hard shoulder.

He eventually left the motorway at junction 22 and sped along the A672 towards Sowerby Bridge at up to 80mph on the wrong side of the road.

After driving through red lights at a set of roadworks Cook lost control of the Corsa and crashed into a wall.

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Judge Jonathan Rose jailed Cook for three years after he admitted two offences of dangerous driving.

Daryl CookDaryl Cook
Daryl Cook

Cook was also banned from driving for four years and ordered to take an extended driving test at the end of his disqualification.

Jailing Cook Judge Jonathan Rose said the two incidents of dangerous driving where two of the worst the court had seen were there had not been serious injury or a fatality.

“Each of these cases involved lengthy, persistent dangerous driving without any thought for other road users, particularly motorists,” the judge told Cook.

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“Speeds up to 120mph, even on motorways, are likely to lead to accidents, serious injury and deaths. Speeds of 80mph in 30moh zones are frankly unforgivable.”

Judge Rose repeated that it was a miracle noone was seriously injured or killed and he said the two offences had to be met with consecutive prison sentences of 16 and 20 months in jail.