Harrogate teenager "just" avoids prison after leading cops on "terrifying" police chase

Qaseem Cowen, 19, shot straight over junctions, mounted a kerb and ignored a give-way sign as he drove at double the speed limit - but he was spared prison despite a judge labelling his behaviour “disgraceful”.

Prosecutor Brooke Morrison said a police traffic officer was following Cowen’s black Ford Fiesta which was travelling above the speed limit in the town centre.

Cowen made a sharp turn onto another street where his front-seat passenger, a man who wasn’t named in court, got out of the vehicle and ran off.

The patrol officer then switched on the blue lights and siren, at which point Cowen sped off, driving at speeds of up to 70mph in a 30mph zone towards Knaresborough Road, Wetherby Road and Hookstone Road.

“He sped across a junction without slowing and nearly narrowly avoided a collision with another motorist,” added Ms Morrison.

He drove straight past a give-way sign without slowing and then appeared to lose control of the vehicle and mounted a kerb, almost hitting a tree before speeding away.

He shot straight across another junction before pulling into a residential street where he was arrested and a drug test showed he was positive for cannabis.

He was arrested and charged with dangerous driving and failing to stop.

He admitted both offences, which occurred at about 10pm on January 2, and appeared for sentence at the Crown Court today.

Defence barrister Michael Walsh said that Cowen, of Ashfield Road, Harrogate, had never been in trouble before but had been mixing with drug takers at the time.

He said Cowen didn’t use cannabis anymore, was a good worker and was unlikely to bother the courts again.

He said that the other man in the car had been “shouting and screaming at him to drive away”.

That man had asked Cowen to stop the vehicle so he could get out and then Cowen sped off “in panic”.

Recorder Nicholas Lumley KC told Cowen: “This was a terrifying episode of dangerous driving.

"You could so easily have killed or seriously injured members of the public using the roads and pavements of Harrogate.

“You were a completely inexperienced driver driving in dangerous conditions.

"Police tried to stop you but arrogantly or otherwise, you ignored them, and you put police in danger too because of your serious conduct.

"It’s disgraceful.”

Mr Lumley said those who “put people’s lives in danger go to prison”, but he had “just” been persuaded to suspend the sentence by Cowen’s barrister.

The six-month prison sentence was suspended for a year and Cowen was banned from driving for 12 months.

As part of the sentence, Cowen must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and complete up to 10 days’ rehabilitation activity.

He was also ordered to pay £425 costs.