Dangerous driver who engaged police in 150mph pursuit jailed

A man from Luton who engaged police in a pursuit at speeds of up to 150mph has been sentenced to four years and two months behind bars for dangerous driving.

Syed Reza, of Sundon Park Road, pled guilty to four counts of dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified and was sentenced at Warwick Crown Court on Tuesday, 12 April.

The 25-year-old refused to stop and engaged police in a pursuit all the way from Luton to Birmingham on 18 September 2020.

Reaching speeds of up to 150mph and stretching across seven police force areas, the pursuit involved police officers from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Joint Protective Services, working alongside colleagues from Northamptonshire Police and West Midlands Police, in a bid to bring him safely to a stop.

After over 80 miles of dangerous driving, and two police cars rammed, Reza was brought to a stop and arrested in Birmingham. He was later released under investigation where he then fled the country. A year later he returned and was picked up by officers at Heathrow Airport.

In court, Judge Lockhart Q described the pursuit as “the worst case of dangerous driving that he has ever seen in his court room”.

Sergeant Ian Leeson, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Roads Policing Unit, said: “This was the most dangerous and protracted pursuit I have ever led in my career as a road policing officer.

“The pursuit travelled through rural and urban areas and it is to my amazement that nobody was injured as a result of the speeds and manner in which Reza was driving. The outcome could have been very different. 

“I would like to personally thank Judge Lockhart for recognising the seriousness of this case and also the level of danger that roads policing officers face at work on a daily basis in denying criminals use of the roads.”

Reza was also sentenced for three other pursuits, two from Luton in April 2020 and July 2020 and another in Warwickshire in January 2020. 

On top of his custodial sentence he will be disqualified from driving for four years after his release.