A judge showed mercy to a new father after telling him he deserved immediate jail for his involvement in a 105mph police chase.
Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday in spite of his pregnant girlfriend’s pleas not to drive, Leigh Edwards set off to see family after he had been drinking at a wedding.
His girlfriend was so concerned she rang the police to alert them, Carmel Pearson, prosecuting, told the court.
That led to officers pulling up alongside Edwards at some lights soon after he began driving, but he ignored them and reached 60mph in a 30mph zone as he drove away, initially on A roads.
The Mirfield man then drove on to the M1 and the M62 near Dewsbury and reached speeds of 105mph.
At one point he dropped his speed and turned off his lights.
He was eventually brought to a halt by three police cars. A breath test showed Edwards was more than twice the legal limit with a reading of 82, the limit being 35.
Edwards, 28, of Co-operative Street, admitted dangerous driving, driving over the alcohol limit, failing to stop for police and having no insurance or licence.
But he became a dad last Saturday and Judge Christopher Batty imposed a 14-month jail sentence suspended for 12 months with 80 hours unpaid work and a medium level activity requirement.
“The reason I am not going to send you immediately to custody is that actually, but for your partner, you probably wouldn’t be here.
“So concerned for you and what you were doing she rang the police, so she behaved as commendably as anyone could and if I send you to custody with a four-day-old child leaving her to look after him alone, she is the one who will suffer.”
He was banned from driving for two years.
