A judge has hit out at what he called the “scandalously” lenient maximum sentence for dangerous driving while locking up a Bradford man with the worst record for motoring offences he said he had ever seen.

Steven Garner was flouting a ten-year driving ban when he led police on a chase across the city at almost 100mph in a stolen Audi A4, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

Garner, 34, of Daleside Walk, West Bowling, Bradford, continued his “lethal and lunatic” bid to evade the law after the car bumper dropped off and sparks flew from the underside of the vehicle.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said Garner’s was the “most dreadful” record for driving offences he had come across.

His criminal record included 22 convictions for driving while disqualified, three for dangerous driving, nine for taking vehicles without consent and nine for aggravated vehicle taking.

There were also “innumerable” offences of no insurance and driving with excess alcohol.

The judge heard that Garner was spotted at the wheel of the Audi, stolen by others two days earlier in a house burglary, at about 1am on August 9 last year.

He led police on a chase of up to 98mph across what the judge called “an A to Z” of Bradford streets, including Manchester Road, Prospect Street and Wakefield Road. The car “weaved” at the back as Garner travelled on the wrong side of the road and ignored every Give Way sign and traffic light.

He hit a police car and crashed through bollards until the car was abandoned after a 12-minute pursuit. Police caught Garner trying to make off in a taxi in Harris Street.

Garner pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified, driving over the alcohol limit and having no insurance.

His solicitor, Anne-Marie Hutton, said Garner knew he had driven in a disgraceful manner and that he was going to prison. She said: “From an early age he developed a mania for offences of this sort.”

Judge Durham Hall jailed Garner for 31 months, saying he apologised to the public for such a short sentence but the maximum term for dangerous driving was two years. He banned Garner from driving for ten years and ordered him to take an extended test if he wants to drive legally.

The judge criticised the “outrageous and scandalous” limit imposed by Parliament for dangerous driving offences, despite calls from courts to increase the sentence to protect the public from “lethal and lunatic drivers”.

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