Banned driver in high-speed police chase on M62 claims 'wanted man' made him do it

A father led police on a high-speed chase reaching speeds of 110mph, before blaming his passengers for his reckless actions.

Robert Porter was involved in what one officer described as "one of the most dangerous pursuits he has ever been involved in", lasting nearly 15 minutes. He was spotted driving on the M62 late at night, seemingly under the influence of drugs.

The banned driver claimed he acted this way because one of his friends in the car was a wanted man.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Tuesday that an unmarked police car tried to pull over Porter's Vauxhall Mokka on the M62 just before 10.30pm on January 14 this year, suspecting him of being under the influence. However, Porter failed to stop and exited the motorway at junction seven, continuing towards Widnes with two passengers in tow.

Prosecutor Iain Criddle detailed how Porter then led officers on a 13-minute chase, during which he drove up to 110mph in a 60mph zone and 65mph in a residential area with a 20mph limit. He added: "Thankfully, probably because of the time of night, the roads were not busy as they might have been, which is perhaps more good luck than anything else.", reports the Liverpool Echo.

At one point, Porter halted his vehicle before reversing into a police car, causing around £4,000 worth of damage. He also ran red traffic lights, drove the wrong way around roundabouts and on the wrong side of the road, as well as overtaking a van and "nearly pushing it off the road".

In the latter stages of the pursuit, an oncoming vehicle had to swerve onto the pavement to avoid a head-on crash with the father-of-two. Porter, hailing from Bancroft Road in Widnes, subsequently halted his car and fled into an alleyway, but was apprehended with the help of a police dog.

He confessed to having used drugs, yet declined to provide a sample for testing and initially denied being at the wheel, despite being found with the car keys. Mr Criddle relayed that an "experienced police officer" recounted the chase as "one of the most dangerous pursuits he has ever been involved in".

Porter's record includes seven prior convictions encompassing 17 offences, among them a conviction for drink driving in 2009. Following a ban for dangerous driving in 2016, he was mandated to complete an extended driving test before returning to the road, which he failed to do.

Consequently, in 2021, he was found guilty of driving while disqualified. Joanne Maxwell, representing Porter, addressed the court, saying: "The defendant concedes the awful manner in which he drove on this particular occasion."

She added, "The manner in which he drove and the length for which he was behind the wheel on this occasion in January was one where the posed dangers were inherent with that kind of driving. There were no pedestrians about, and the dangers posed were perhaps not as bad as they would have been."

"My instructions are that the others in the car were known acquaintances to him, and one instructed him not to stop because he was wanted by the police. Poor judgement led to his decision not to stop."

"He has been addicted to cocaine for the past five or six years. He is a man who has displayed factors indicating that he is now only too aware of the consequences of that addiction and the fact that he has got to turn his life around."

"Medical records show that he had attended his GP, not only to address his mental health but also to meet head on his addiction to cocaine. He is desperate to receive further assistance."

"Life is now, and has been for the last six months, on the up for Mr Porter. His family connections have tightened around him."

"He is a man who has been providing great assistance to his family. He is a registered carer for his father and provides personal care to him on a daily basis."

"He is keen to be able to provide a stable upbringing for his daughters. He is described as a wonderful father."

"There are significant gaps in his record which prove that he can stay out of trouble. He has come to the court prepared for an immediate custodial sentence, but asks the court to provide him with a last opportunity."

Porter admitted to dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, driving without a licence and driving without insurance. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison and disqualified from driving for two years and eight months.

During sentencing, Recorder David Knifton KC stated: "Given the time of the evening, mercifully there were no pedestrians around. But there were a number of other vehicles and numerous parked cars."

He further described the incident as: "This pursuit was described by an experienced traffic officer as one of the most dangerous pursuits he has ever been involved in. Having watched the extensive dashcam footage, I entirely agree with his analysis."

Knifton also noted the defendant's past, saying: "You have a number of previous convictions, largely for driving matters. I note that you were involved in a very serious accident aged 18, but this cannot explain or justify your actions."

He expressed doubt about the defendant's willingness to change, stating: "I regret to say that there is very little to suggest that you have shown the necessary willingness and commitment to comply with a non-custodial sentence. I hope you will in due course demonstrate to your family a genuine commitment to changing your lifestyle, but in my judgement that must be after your release."

The judge criticised the defendant's reckless behaviour, saying: "You made a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road and showed a complete disregard for other road users. This was a prolonged, persistent course of dangerous driving involving a number of highly dangerous manoeuvres."

Finally, he highlighted the impact of the defendant's actions, stating: "Your driving was impaired by the consumption of drugs and you were seeking to evade the police throughout. Although there was mercifully no injury to others, there was damage to a police vehicle."

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