Banned and drug addicted M62 driver leads police on 100mph pursuit

An experienced traffic officer involved in the chase initiated by Robert Porter described it as ‘one of the most dangerous pursuits he had ever been involved in’.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the 33-year-old was spotted by police in an unmarked patrol car on the M62 at Burtonwood heading westbound.

Officers began to follow him as he came off at junction seven, with the defendant speeding off on Watkinson Way towards Widnes.

Officers indicated for Porter to stop his Vauxhall Mokka, but he ignored them and led them on a 15-minute pursuit.

During the incident, which began at around 10.10pm on January 14 this year, he reached speeds of more than 100 mph.

The chase also saw him travel on the wrong side of residential roads full of parked cars at more than 70mph and through red traffic lights.

While on roads with a 20mph limit, Porter drove at speeds more than three times this amount.

“You eventually brought your vehicle to a stop but reversed into the police car, causing around £4,000 worth of damage,” said recorder David Knifton during the hearing.

“You then drove off again, and there was a further pursuit.”

During this second chase, a van he was undertaking was forced to take evasive action, but eventually, Porter stopped.

After this, he and his passengers abandoned the vehicle and ran off, before being detained.

Robert Porter was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court

Dashcam footage of the pursuit was played to the court during the hearing, which heard how the defendant failed to provide a specimen for a drug analysis.

Recorder Knifton said: “It was a prolonged, deliberate course of dangerous driving involving a number of highly dangerous manoeuvres, and it was impaired by your consumption of drugs.”

Porter, of Bancroft Road in Widnes, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and failing to stop for police.

Iain Criddle, prosecuting, said that Porter has seven previous convictions for 17 offences – including another dangerous driving incident, as well as driving under the influence of alcohol and driving while disqualified.

The dad-of-two had previously been ordered to carry out an extended driving test before getting back behind the wheel, but he had not done so.

Joanne Maxwell, defending, said: “He concedes the awful manner in which he drove.

“He made a poor decision in assistance of a friend. He knew he had not undertaken an extended driving test.”

She said there were others in the car, one of whom was insisting that he did not stop and to ‘put his foot down’.

“His poor judgment led him to comply with that request,” the barrister added.

The court also heard that Porter has been addicted to cocaine for ‘five or six years’ and knows he needs to address that addiction, for which he is ‘desperate to receive assistance’.

Porter was sentenced by Recorder Knifton to 16 months immediate imprisonment.

He was also disqualified from driving for two years and eight months and ordered to take an extended driving test before getting behind the wheel again.