A BANNED motorist drove so fast on the M62 even the West Yorkshire police helicopter struggled to keep up with him.

Leeds Crown Court heard today that Jimmy Connors reached 135 mph more than once during a half-an-hour chase in the early hours of September 18 with police vehicles often only able to follow the Mercedes he was driving because of the commentary from above.

One officer recorded as Connors disappeared ahead of them past junction 29 eastbound: “He’s absolutely flying” and added: “We are losing sight of this vehicle in the outside lane, still travelling in excess of 130mph.”

As the vehicle continued towards junction 31 the pursuing cars asked for help where he had gone but were told by the officer in the helicopter: “We are moving as fast as we can, we are just about matching him but not gaining massively.”

Helicopter footage showed Connors turning off at junction 31 taking the Normanton by-pass and heading towards Wakefield, past Pinderfields Hospital, through Carlton and across the M621 motorway on to the A650.

He then briefly joined the M1 Northbound before going back on to the M62 again this time heading westbound but again reaching 130mph before taking a slip road off towards Birstall.

After driving through a housing estate Angus Taylor prosecuting said Connors abandoned the car and ran off but was subsequently found and arrested by a dog handler.

The court heard he was banned from driving for two years in May 2015 at Derby Crown Court for dangerous driving.

Connors, 27, of Ravenscliffe Avenue, Bradford, told police he was going for some food in the car and it did not “cross his mind” he was disqualified.

He said there had been some trouble at the site when he was living at Cottingley Springs and when a BMW started following him he had initially not realised it was an unmarked police car behind him. He accepted when he did know the police were after him he decided to “take the chase.”

Connors admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and having no insurance and was jailed for a total of 16 months and banned from driving for four years eight months.

Sentencing him Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said he had a “terrible” driving record including repeatedly driving while disqualified and three convictions for dangerous driving.

He said having watched the 25 minute footage from the helicopter: “It is a miracle nobody was killed and no damage was done. This was grossly excessive speed in a determined attempt to escape from police.

“It causes enormous resource issues, danger to officers involved and the police helicopter had to be sent to continue tracking you, you were determined to get away.”

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