Dashcam captures the moment a drunk driver fleeing from the police goes through five red lights, plows into parked cars, and then sets off on foot… all thanks to the £7.50 taxi ride home

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This is the moment when a drunk driver, chased by the police, ran five red lights and hit two cars.

Declan Muers has avoided jail after saying he didn't want to spend £7.50 on a taxi ride home from a nightclub.

The 27-year-old had been drinking before leaving in a fury in the early hours of the morning and driving two miles home.

Dashcam footage shows Muersa Nottingham speeding through the city center at around 4am on February 18.

A police car spotted him driving erratically on Maid Marian Way and followed him as he passed five red lights.

Drunk driver avoided jail after crashing into two cars and running through five traffic lights while being followed by police

Declan Muers' car race through Nottingham city center. He claimed he didn't want to pay £7.50 for a taxi home from the nightclub so he drove drunk instead

Declan Muers' car race through Nottingham city center. He claimed he didn't want to pay £7.50 for a taxi home from the nightclub so he drove drunk instead

Muers turning at a junction on red lights in Nottingham city centre

Muers turning at a junction on red lights in Nottingham city centre

Declan Muers arrested by officers after he failed to stop for police and ran five sets of red lights

Declan Muers arrested by officers after failing to stop for police and running five sets of red lights

Muers crashed one of the parked cars on Hungerhill Road, St Ann's

Muers crashed one of the parked cars on Hungerhill Road, St Ann's

Muers continued driving around the city before losing control of his blue Volkswagen Scirocco and hitting two cars parked on Hungerhill Road.

The out-of-control driver tried to flee the scene on foot, but officers caught him a short distance away.

A breathalyzer test showed that he had 49 micrograms of alcohol in 100 milliliters of exhaled air, which is much more than 35 micrograms.

Muers was taken to Queen's Medical Center for a cut to his head, whereupon he was arrested and taken into custody.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop when asked to do so by a police officer and driving under the influence of alcohol.

On Monday, Muers was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, in addition to a two-year driving ban, a four-month curfew and a requirement to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activity.

Police dash cam showing Muers driving through one of five traffic lights in Nottingham

Police dash cam showing Muers driving through one of five traffic lights in Nottingham

Muer crashed a blue Volkswagen Scirocco, which he drove over the alcohol limit

Muer crashed a blue Volkswagen Scirocco, which he drove over the alcohol limit

PC Fraser Heaton, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Muers showed a clear disregard for the safety of others by driving dangerously through the city center in poor weather conditions.

“He was unable to get behind the wheel of the car and we are fortunate that he did not cause any harm to any other road user or pedestrian.

“He was also extremely lucky not to suffer more serious injuries himself after losing control and colliding with two parked vehicles.

“When interviewed by the police, he told us that he had been drinking at a nightclub and left because he was upset about something that had happened.

He should have taken a taxi home, but he obviously didn't want to pay the fare.

“Now he has paid a higher price in court for losing his driving license.”