by Courts across the country find their fair share of dangerous drivers in the dock. From those who speed to those who get behind the wheel after consuming outrageous amounts of drink.
It often leads to dangerous police pursuits, horrific crashes and, sadly, tragic deaths.
While those in the driver’s seat tend to take the blame, there are others who do everything they can to avoid responsibility.
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These are just some of the reckless drivers who thought they were above the law – but were caught and brought before the courts of our region.
Callum Carew
Here’s the ‘show’ drink driver who plowed into an innocent motorcyclist, causing him to be thrown from his bike and fatally injured.
Callum Carew, 34, was driving his white BMW M2 along the A534 in Crewe at around 11.15pm on March 31, hitting speeds of around 140mph in a 60mph zone.
Moments later, he went into the back of a blue Direct Bike Scooter, which was being ridden by 29-year-old Razvan Brumar. The impact of the collision threw him from his bike and left him with catastrophic injuries.
Emergency services attended the scene, where paramedics treated Razvan before he was taken to hospital. He later died from his injuries.
Carew then tried to blame his victim when questioned by police, claiming the bike had no lights. He also told officers he only had one pint before he failed a breathalyzer test and was arrested.
Carew, of Rochester Crescent, Crewe, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving while over the drink limit. He was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Monday (May 13) to nine years and four months behind bars.
Read the full story here.
Leo Meek
Leo Meek cut down 15-year-old Jack Jones while traveling at up to 55mph on a 30mph road in April 2021, before fleeing the scene. He later led police on a 100mph chase after being released from prison.
He was sentenced to 40 months for dangerous driving in August 2021 and disqualified from driving for three years from the date of his release. But on July 19 last year, Meek was back on the road, leading police on a reckless chase through Cheshire.
While driving in a stolen car, he was seen overtaking multiple vehicles and recruiting them to force them to pull over. He picked up speeds of more than 100mph along winding narrow roads, more than twice the 40mph speed limit.
After spotting the car for excessive speed, the officer turned a corner to find that the BMW had hit the bridge over the M53. The car had hit the barrier with such force that it had buckled, and by doing so prevented it from falling onto the motorway below.
Meek, 25, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and handling stolen goods and was jailed for 22 months.
Read the full story here.
Mohammed Atif
Mohammed Atif cut down an elderly woman as she crossed the road, before telling police he was ‘drowsy in the sunlight’.
Anne Buckley had waited for the lights at a pedestrian crossing to turn red before she started walking into the road Moor in November 2022. She was hit by a Ford Fiesta driven by Atif.
The 79-year-old was sent hurtling through the air before landing on her head and shoulders. She was left with multiple injuries including her neck, and is now afraid to cross the road without help.
Atif failed to stop at the scene and drove away, Manchester Crown Court heard. When contacted by police later that day in November 2022 after being identified through an ANPR camera, he said he was ‘drowsy in the sunlight’ and claimed he had not seen Mrs Buckley, or the lights changed to red.
He pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for 20 months.
Read the full story here.
Joseph Dearden
Police body cam footage has captured the shocking moment brazen drink driver Joseph Dearden left a motorist seriously injured, saying: “I’ve just got to play the sanity card!”
The footage shows Dearden skidding and struggling to stay upright after a horrific smash on a residential road in Boltonafter a boozy pub session where he downed six pints of lager and five shots.
He seems unconcerned that he left one man, 25, with life-changing injuries, snapping at the police who arrested him: “I’m just playing the mental health card!” The sozzle driver refused to get into an ambulance.
Dearden, 27, from Bolton, managed to get out of his smashed van and tried to flee the scene only to be detained by terrified residents who came out and witnessed the scene of carnage. Other footage released by Greater Manchester Police he revealed the speed at which he was traveling and also the wreckage he caused in the accident.
He was imprisoned for two and a half years because of ‘callous and cowardly’ behavior by the police.
Read the full story here.
Zach Allinson
Zak Allison drove his car into a man and hit him after a road rage incident. Allinson, 22, had become involved in a heated argument with his victim following a dispute over a commercial estate in Cheetham Hill.
Allinson, who said he was there to buy food from a takeaway, had blocked a lorry trying to drive into the yard. After the victim closed part of a gate, Allinson drove straight at the man and hit him.
He was thrown onto the bonnet and fell to the ground shortly afterwards. ‘He could have killed me,’ the victim said in a later statement.
Allinson was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison, after pleading guilty to attempted section 18 assault, dangerous driving, driving without a license and driving without insurance.
Rread the full story here.
