Passengers left trapped in upturned burning car after 129mph Leeds police chase as driver fled on foot

Shocking body-worn camera footage played to Leeds Crown Court showed an heroic officer desperately dragging an injured woman from the stricken Skoda Fabia, with audible screams and cries as the flames took hold. Just moments before, Connor Robinson had led police at dangerously-high speeds around Leeds.

The 23-year-old over and undertook vehicles, ran red lights and narrowly avoided colliding with several cars during the seven-minute pursuit on January 7. He led police along the A6110, A58, M621, Manor Hill Road and the M62 between junctions 28 and 30 before eventually crashing.

He recorded speeds up to 129mph as his four passengers shouted at him to stop, prosecutor Jessica Lister told the court.

After colliding with a barrier on the eastbound slip road at Oulton, the car flipped and rolled down an embankment before setting on fire. Robinson then got out and ran without checking on his passengers. The frantic footage showed flames from the car with the arriving officer heard shouting: “It’s on fire, get out!

Having dragged a female passenger from the car, he is then heard to say: “Her leg is broken but I’ve had to bend it.” Finally, he could then be heard screaming: “Is that everyone accounted for?” With everyone clear, moments later the car exploded.

Dog units and the police helicopter were scrambled and Robinson was found hiding on a nearby embankment. He was arrested and tested positive for cocaine and blew 45 mcgs of alcohol in 100 mls of breath. The legal limit is 35 mcgs.

Miss Lister said: “It’s the worst standard of driving the officer has ever seen and given the spectacular conclusion of the pursuit, in my submission it’s miraculous that more people were not seriously injured or worse.”

During his interview, Robinson admitted he was driving and had taken cocaine and alcohol. He said he panicked and fled because he had been drinking, told them he thought it would easy to get away, did not realise it was on fire and fully regretted his actions.

Robinson, a qualified HGV mechanic, has no previous convictions and admitted a single charge of driving dangerously.

Miss Lister said none of the four passengers would co-operate with the police, and the injured woman denied access to her medical files so the full extent of her injuries remain unknown. Those in the car included Robinson and his girlfriend, two friends and the mother of one of those friends.

Robinson, of Roman Road, Darton, Barnsley, said they had had been out in Leeds that night and was driving them home when the police tried to pull them over.

Mitigating, James Holding said: “There was a full admission that he messed up. Cutting to the chase, he only decision that has to be made is whether he will be spending Christmas in prison or doing unpaid work. This has scared him. He has not driven since and has no intention of getting behind the wheel.”

Judge Harry Vann jailed Robinson for 14 months telling him it was “too severe” to suspend. He was banned from driving for three years and seven months.