Drug dealer took police on high-speed chase through Newport reaching speed of 85mph in built-up zone

Mohammed Hussain managed to get away from officers in his hired Audi A1 car after they were forced to call off the pursuit over safety concerns.

The 22-year-old, of Hawthorne Fosse, Newport, was found guilty of dangerous driving by a jury at Cardiff Crown Court after a three-day trial.

Hussain, who was represented by his barrister Susan Ferrier, had denied the charge and claimed a case of mistaken identity.

Prosecutor Rosamund Rutter told the jury how the defendant had torn though Pill before going over the George Street Bridge into Maindee and then on to Chepstow Road where police lost sight of him and stood down the chase.

She said that Hussain reached a speed of 85mph in a 30mph zone at one point and came close to crashing into another car on a warm summer’s evening in August 9, 2018.

The court heard that one of the officers involved, Police Constable Rebecca Howells, had recognised the defendant as the driver and he was arrested at the end of that month.

The jury were told during the course of the trial that Hussain had a previous conviction for dangerous driving.

What they did not know was that Hussain is a convicted drug dealer.

They found him guilty by a majority verdict of 10-2.

Miss Rutter told the court after the verdict that he has the offences of possession of crack cocaine, heroin and heroin with intent to supply against his name.

She also said how his previous conviction for dangerous driving was from 2014 after he took a silver Audi without the owner’s consent.

Judge David Wynn Morgan told Hussain he would adjourn sentence until Friday, February 15 so that a pre-sentence report could be prepared to determine the length of the jail sentence that he will have to serve.

He said: “This was an appalling case of dangerous driving.”

The court heard that Hussain has already served the equivalent of a 10-month prison term as he has been remanded in custody since his arrest last August.