Police helicopter scrambled to track 130mph cocaine-fuelled Volkswagen Golf driver on the M1

Christopher Goodair was “weaving around traffic” and even used the hard shoulder at one point to outrun police on the motorway, before his vehicle ran out of fuel.

Leeds Crown Court was told that he had been driving the turbo-charged car between junctions 40 and 39, Wakefield, at around 10pm on October 13 last year.

He had been driving in excess of the speed limit, so the police illuminated their lights, prosecutor Benjamin Bell said. But he then continued to accelerate, reaching 130mph as the police helicopter was scrambled to monitor the white Golf.

He then struck traffic cones and drove through the closed-off section of the M1 at 100mph.

Luckily the car then ran out of fuel and police were able to pull him from the driver’s seat.

He was tested for drugs and found to be three times over the legal limit for cocaine. They also found a small amount of cocaine on him. He later admitted dangerous driving, being over the drug-drive limit and possession of cocaine. He has eight previous convictions for 13 offences, including for theft, dealing ketamine, and drug driving.

Mitigating Stephen Swan told the court: “He is grateful nobody was hurt and is extremely remorseful. “

He said Goodair, of Cross Street, Ossett, had struggled with his mental health for many years, that his ex partner has taken her own life in 2022 and her family had blamed him.

Mr Swan said: “He described it as the worst period of his life. He freely admitted he self medicated with cocaine. On that day [of the chase] he was particularly low and paranoid when he sped off from officers.”

He said that Goodair, a father-of-one, had sought help and counselling for his drug use, had secured qualifications and a job which remains open for him.

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Judge Anesh Pema told Goodair: “Your driving that day can only be described as being very, very dangerous. Thankfully the traffic was very light. It could have been not just serious, but fatal. At that speed there is no room for error.

“I have little doubt you would have carried on if not for your lack of fuel.”

He jailed him for 13 months and added: “You were driving as dangerously as possible without causing serious damage to anybody, and that was pure luck. Driving at that speed, only custody can follow.”

He also banned him from driving for 42-and-a-half-months.