A ‘DUCKING and diving’ danger driver who breached the terms of his suspended sentence wept in the dock as he was sent to prison for two months.

Mark Meek, 37, of Kings Road, Bolton, Bradford, appeared at Bradford Crown Court from custody after failing to attend an original hearing on April 11.

In July 2017 he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, after leading police on a late-night chase around central Bradford in his Ford Focus while over the limit.

Meek had also been given 150 hours unpaid work to do, with a further 25 hours added later after the breach of the sentence in May 2018.

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But Laura McBride, prosecuting, told the court Meek had only completed a total of five hours of this. Given this lack of co-operation the suspended sentence should be activated, she said.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC, the Recorder of Bradford, expressed surprise that the judge who originally sentenced Meek, Judge Neal Davey QC, had not jailed him immediately.

“There must have been some fairly convincing mitigation, in Bradford, to avoid immediate imprisonment,” said Judge Durham Hall.

Giles Bridge, defending, told the court that Meek had long-standing health issues relating to a leg injury sustained while attempting to escape from police officers after the crash. He also suffered from anxiety.

Meek’s wife also suffered health problems and he was worried about how she would cope with their children if he was jailed, Mr Bridge added. He gave the judge a handwritten letter from Meek, asking for an adjournment so he could produce medical evidence explaining why he had not done the unpaid work.

But Judge Durham Hall said: “I am not adjourning things any more. The taxpayer has been taken for a ride by this defendant.”

He told Meek: “You know, it’s no good pleading with me, all this wringing of hands - I find it remarkably unpersuasive. You are a dodger of responsibilities, you don’t seem to have any mettle and you are ducking and diving before the remarkable generosity of this court.”

“I am going to activate the suspended sentence in an absolutely minimum form. You will go to prison, Mr Meek, and you will learn your lesson, but it will be for two months.”

Meek wept as he was led away from the dock to start his sentence.