A BOLTON man has been jailed following a high-speed police chase which a judge said was the longest he had ever heard of.

Mohammed Azad took police on a near 30-mile chase around motorways of the North West and through Bolton streets before abandoning his car in Farnworth.

The court heard how on August 19 police saw Azad driving erratically in Merseyside and attempted to pull him over.

Azad, aged 36, pulled over in the green Audi but as the officer went to get out of his car he sped off down the M62 heading towards Manchester.

What followed was a high-speed chase which saw Azad reach speeds of 125mph weaving in and out of other road users.

At the hearing at Bolton Crown Court on Friday the court heard how he undertook vehicles, driving on the hard shoulder causing several near misses during the 15-minute pursuit.

His journey took him down the M62, M602 towards Manchester where he got off at Eccles before going back in the opposite direction on the re-joining the M60 north towards the M61 before getting off at Farnworth.

Azad of Whittle Grove, Bolton, then abandoned his car in a cul-de-sac where he was arrested by the police.

He apologised and admitted that he had taken his wife’s car without her consent.

Azad pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, driving without insurance or a licence and failing to stop when require to by a police officer.

The court heard that Azad had a lengthy criminal record for similar offences including vehicle taking and driving whilst disqualified.

In 2010 he was sent to prison for dangerous driving and again in 2012.

David Toal, defending, said: “Following his release from prison he has been on track to take a different direction in life, taking an active part in the lives of his children living with his wife and contributing towards their life.

“He was due to start in full time employment for the first time in a long time.”

Judge Timothy Stead said: “To calculate the number of ordinary people whose lives were put in danger by this is very large indeed. The skill the police officer showed in the pursuit was quite remarkable. You have one of the worst records for criminal driving that I have ever come across.

“The length of the pursuit was the greatest length that I have encountered. How every other motorist avoided a collision with you I don’t know.

“It’s a mercy that you didn’t hit any children as they are often walking on these streets.”

He was sentenced to 14 months in prison and will be disqualified for three years and six months.