A 23-year-old Bradford man who killed a pedestrian while racing another car at up to 60mph through rush hour traffic has been jailed for six years.

Ihsan Khan, 23, had taken cocaine and been out all night celebrating his birthday when he struck Richard Taylor, 59, on a pelican crossing on Manningham Lane, Bradford.

Khan was on the wrong side of a traffic island when he hit Mr Taylor at the Oak Lane junction at 8.50am on July 30 last year.

Mr Taylor, of Bingley, was hurled 35 metres and died immediately of severe multiple injuries, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

Khan, of Woodlands Street, White Abbey, Bradford, pleaded guilty to causing Mr Taylor’s death by dangerous driving.

His passenger, Javed Ali, who rang the police to tell them he was driving the white Seat Ibiza at the time of the collision, admitted perverting the course of justice.

Prosecutor Andrew Dallas said Khan was racing the driver of a Toyota Yaris towards Bradford city centre. It was morning rush hour and other drivers were alarmed and frightened.

Despite a long and detailed investigation by West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, the driver of the Yaris had not been identified, the court was told.

Mr Dallas said the Seat and the Yaris were seen travelling in Bingley together at 2.49am that day.

They had been to Bradford city centre, Todmorden and Burnley overnight. Shortly before 9am, the cars were racing each other towards the middle of Bradford.

Mr Dallas said the Seat was doing 66mph at that point.

Mr Taylor was crossing the road to call at shops before his daily visit to his sister, Jane.

Miss Taylor said her brother was her only relative. He was a gentleman, “a good, kind, honest man.”

“Family for me is only a memory,” Miss Taylor added.

In a bid to get ahead of the Yaris, Khan drove on the wrong side of a traffic island at 50 to 60mph.

A woman motorist heading out of the city centre was confronted by the Seat coming at her with a body rolling off the bonnet. The Seat swerved on to Oak Lane and sped off, its windscreen smashed in the impact.

Mr Dallas said that Ali, 22, of St Michael’s Road, White Abbey, rang the police saying he had “hit and runned” somebody.

He had blood on his face and the keys of the Seat in his pocket. He admitted taking cocaine and told officers: “I am guilty to it”.

Mr Dallas said scientific evidence showed that Ali was the front seat passenger. Khan was arrested when he returned to the UK from Pakistan in June.

Khan was banned from driving for five years. Ali was jailed for 12 months and for a further six years later in the day for two other offences, making seven years in all.