TWO drivers involved in a double death crash while racing each other on a major road in Bradford were today jailed for a total of 15 years.

Muhammad Sikder, 27, of Sylhet Close, Manningham, and Ismail Miah, 23, of Springfield Place, Manningham, had both pleaded guilty to two charges of causing death by dangerous driving.

Manningham Taxis driver Mirza Abdul Malick, 64, and his passenger, former antiques restorer Paul Hayward, 55, died at the scene of a three-car crash on the A650 Shipley Airedale Road, shortly before 11am on Saturday, January 2, this year.

Mr Malick’s Proton cab was struck by a BMW, driven by Sikder, who had been racing Miah, who was driving a Range Rover, which also hit the BMW.

The scene of the crash on Shipley Airedale Road

The BMW and Range Rover were both travelling at about 70mph in the 40mph zone before the crash.  

Today, Skider and Miah were jailed for seven-and-half years each by Judge Jonathan Durham Hall at Bradford Crown Court.

Sentencing them, Judge Durham Hall said the case was a "disaster for all concerned".

"You were two young men, utterly absorbed and utterly selfish, driving high-powered cars in a race on a major arterial route at speeds which defied belief," he said.

Sergeant Carl Quinn of the Major Collision Enquiry Team​ speaking outside Bradford Crown Court today

"You two, side-by-side, challenging each other, a collision was inevitable, as you must have known.

"These were two deaths that were entirely foreseeable, you had a flagrant disregard for the great danger you clearly caused."

After the case, Sergeant Carl Quinn, of the Major Collision Enquiry Team, who lead the investigation into the crash, said: “Their driving on that fateful day was foolish, reckless, and highly dangerous, and sadly resulted in the untimely deaths of two men.

“West Yorkshire Police is committed to tackling inappropriate driving and will utilise all its resources to investigate and bring to justice motorists who demonstrate such poor standards of driving, especially when death and serious injury occurs.”

Speaking outside court alongside the families of the two victims, he added: “I would just like to say on behalf of the families that they welcome the sentences that have been passed here today. 

“We do feel that this sends a clear message out to other potential offenders that this sort of conduct is unacceptable and should not be tolerated on the streets of any city, let alone Bradford. 

“West Yorkshire Police will use all its resources to bring to justice people who choose to use the roads for their own means and cause devastation such as this offence has caused.” 

Andrew Penhale, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, CPS Yorkshire and Humberside said: “These two defendants have been sentenced for driving at recklessly high speeds resulting in the needless death of two men.

"Two families have been left bereaved. The drivers’ bravado has had the most terrible of consequences.

"In these circumstances there is little that can bring comfort to the families, but the sentences handed down today do send out the clearest of messages that racing cars at high speeds will not be tolerated.”

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