20 January 2024 , 23:03
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An "utterly stupid" drug dealer drove at 100mph in a 30mph zone while trying to escape from the police, a court heard.
Abdulmalik Sayid, 25, passed through "numerous" red lights and even drove on the wrong side of the road before eventually crashing into two other cars, at the junction of Alan Turing Way and Ashton Old Road, close to the Etihad Stadium in east Manchester.
The occupants of both vehicles were not seriously hurt, but one car was written off, Manchester Crown Court heard. "This was an absolutely atrocious piece of driving," Judge Tom Gilbart told Sayid.
"You posed a clear risk to others. It is no thanks to you that there were not more serious consequences." Sayid had been spotted by police while driving an Audi A3 on Great Ancoats Street, at about 1.30pm on October 6 last year.
When he saw the marked police vehicle, Sayid performed a U-turn and a pursuit began, prosecutor Peter Malone said. As they followed the Audi, police discovered Sayid was not insured to drive the car. He drove onto Ashton Old Road towards Openshaw, where he turned into residential streets before performing a loop and turning back onto Ashton Old Road, heading towards the city centre.
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During the pursuit, which lasted for several minutes, Sayid's speeds increased from 70mph, to 80mph and then to 90mph. He went through a number of red lights and at one stage mounted the kerb and drove on the wrong side of the road, Mr Malone said.
As he reached the junction with Alan Turing Way, Sayid had then reached 100mph in a 30mph zone. He eventually lost control and crashed into two cars. Police dragged Sayid from the Audi and detained him. His eyes were said to have been "glazed" and he smelt of cannabis, officers said.
Two women who had been driving the cars which were hit were not seriously hurt, but their vehicles were damaged and they were left inconvenienced and out of pocket. One of the cars was written off, reported the Manchester Evening News.
Months earlier, on May 23, 2022, Sayid was stopped by police in a car on Chapel Street in Salford. In the car, officers found cocaine worth £550, cannabis worth £480 and ketamine worth £210. He was on bail for the offence at the time of the crash.
Defending, Rebecca Caulfield said Sayid had built up a debt to his drug dealer, who then asked him to be a "driver". She said that he "panicked" when the police pursued him in October, because he knew he wasn't insured.
Ms Caulfield said members of Sayid's family who are ill rely on him to drive them to medical appointments. "He knows he was utterly stupid in his behaviour on that day," she told the court. "To put it bluntly, he could have killed somebody."
Sayid, of Fred Tilson Close, Rusholme, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine, possession with intent to supply ketamine, possession of cannabis, dangerous driving and driving without insurance. He was sentenced to three years and four months in prison, of which he will serve half in custody. Sayid was also banned from driving for three years and four months.