A STUDENT whose dangerous driving sentence was deferred to allow him to complete the second year of his sports science degree has been jailed for four months.

Umar Dabhelia, 20, reached speeds of around 60mph during the rush-hour pursuit, which ended when he wrote off his car by crashing into a street sign.

The chase, on November 27 last year, took in roads including Clayton Road, Legrams Lane, and Beckside Road, with the defendant ignoring junctions and overtaking vehicles on the wrong side of the road. Bradford Crown Court heard that Dabhelia had tried to evade police as someone in his car was smoking cannabis.

The defendant, of Arncliffe Terrace, Lidget Green, Bradford, had no previous convictions and was fully insured with a clean driving licence.

Judge Jonathan Rose, who said he had adjourned proceedings as a “mission of mercy” to allow Dabhelia to complete his year of study, told the defendant: “You put citizens lives in danger, police officers in danger. There is clear evidence that dangerous driving is a problem in this city. Danger drivers will go to prison.”

Alongside his jail term, Dabhelia was also banned from driving for 20 months.