165mph driver tells court: catch me if you can

Cocky: Mahmoon had no recollection of the incident because of a “brain injury”

A COCKY driver caught at record-breaking speed on a motorway laughed off a three-year road ban and told the court: “I’m still going to drive, catch me if you can.”

Shiad Mahmoon, from Hollinwood, clocked up 165mph in a souped-up Audi R8 Spyder supercar fitted with £20,000 of carbon fibre accessories.

He told magistrates he had no recollection of the incident because he had a “brain injury”.

Magistrates were told the speed was the fastest ever recorded by police in Merseyside.

The force helicopter spotted the car at 5am, hurtling down the M57 towards the M62 junction. The pilot alerted a patrol car and a dramatic pursuit ended when Mahmoon pulled over near Burtonwood services.

Officers used footage from the helicopter to work out his average speed in the leased car was between 144mph and 165mph, though police believe he could have gone even faster at one point.

Mahmoon, of Montgomery Street, changed his not guilty plea before a trial yesterday. He had previous prodecutions for driving while disqualified and without due care and attention.

Magistrates’ chairman Christina Clarke told him: “We recognise the serious risk of danger you put yourself in and other road users in and we are informed that this is the highest recorded speed by Merseyside Police.”

Magistrates ordered him to take a driving test before he is allowed back on the road and demanded £515 in costs and fines.