Drink-driver who rammed police car in high-speed Leeds chase pleaded 'to be tagged' instead of being jailed

Michael Marshall represented himself in court after being arrested for the high-speed chase in Leeds in which he gestured to police, drove on the wrong side of the road and almost lost control of his BMW several times due to the wet conditions.

It was only after the 31-year-old turned into a cul-de-sac that police boxed him in, but only after he repeatedly smashed into the pursuing car in a final last-ditch move.

Judge Andrew Stubbs KC jailed him for eight months at Leeds Crown Court, and responded to Marshall’s plea to be given an electronic tag instead of jail by saying: “For a police chase in which you were that drunk, for that long and causing that damage, an appropriate punishment of immediate custody can only be achieved.”

Prosecutor Gabrielle Wilks said that police had spotted the BMW travelling at speed in the early hours of New Year’s Day on the Ring Road in Wortley. After a quick check, they found the BMW belonged to a female.

Before they had chance to stop him, he accelerated away at such a speed that he almost lost control, so the officers illuminated their sirens. Marshall pulled over outside Whitehall Surgery, but when one of the officers got out, he sped away again.

He then narrowly missed traffic at a roundabout, before pulling into built-up residential areas, including Bangor Terrace and Cow Close Road. Heading back towards the Ring Road, he eventually turned into Summerfield Avenue, a cul-de-sac in Rodley.

Marshall rammed into the police car as he attempted to turn around. Even after officers got out, he continued to smash into their vehicle, but was eventually dragged out of the BMW and put in handcuffs.

He blew 87 mcgs of alcohol in 100 mls of breath. He later blew 68 mcgs, which was used as the official reading. The legal limit is 70 mcgs.

The court heard that during his interview, he made “full and frank” admissions, had personal problems at the time and did not care about the consequence of his actions.

Marshall, of Coal Hill Gardens, Rodley, admitted drink driving, dangerous driving, having no licence or insurance. He has five convictions for eight previous offences.

A probation report outlined his situation and suggested he was having problems in his marriage which “sent him into a tailspin”, and was contemplating suicide at the time.

He was unable to motivate himself to work and sold items so he could buy alcohol, and on occasions, cocaine. The report suggested that he was usually a “sensible man” with “aspirations for the future”.

Judge Stubbs told him: “You were playing cat and mouse with the police, speeding up and slowing down. There was a collision but it did not deter you. You should never have been behind the wheel in the first place.”

He banned Marshall from driving for 40 months.