A MOTORIST who drove at more than 120mph on the Bingley bypass and through streets in Bradford during a police pursuit has been locked up.

Jailing Haroon Muhmood for 12 months, Judge Jonathan Rose told him his driving had been “appallingly dangerous”.

The judge said: “This is a city blighted by dangerous driving that puts the lives of others at risk.”

Prosecutor Syam Soni told Bradford Crown Court that Muhmood came to the attention of police, after midnight on July 16, because he was driving a Mercedes A class car at excessive speed on the Bingley bypass.

Officers attempted to stop him but failed. His speed was estimated at 123mph.

Mr Soni said Muhmood travelled towards Bradford city centre and drove at 80mph in a 30mph zone in Keighley Road, Frizinghall.

He was pursued into Toller Lane and White Abbey Road, where he drove on the wrong side of the road.

Mr Soni said: “Pursuing officers had to accelerate to 120mph .”

When he was finally stopped he admitted dangerous driving and told officers he thought he was being pursued by someone but did not realise it was the police.

Muhmood, 23, an electrician, of Downham Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, pleaded guilty, at the first opportunity, to dangerous driving.

His barrister, Glenn Parsons, said it had been an aberration by his client, who had panicked. He had a driving licence and had not taken drink or drugs.

Mr Parsons said Muhmood had taken the “foolish, almost inexplicable” decision to try to outrun the police.

Judge Rose said police officers were put at risk of serious injury or death when they were obliged pursue people like the defendant.

He told Muhmood: “That you reached speeds of over 120mph on a 70mph road which decreases to 50mph is bad enough.

"That those speeds were maintained within this city on a road with a 30mph limit, and the police officers were still obliged to drive at 120mph to keep up with you, is absolutely unforgivable.”

Judge Rose said it was impossible to deal with the defendant in any other way than imposing an immediate prison sentence.

He said he accepted that Muhmood had no previous convictions, and the case lacked some aggravating features.

He told the defendant, because of that he was not going to impose the maximum two-year prison sentence set by Parliament for such offences.

But he added: “This was an appallingly dangerous piece of driving over a prolonged period of time, ending up within the city itself.”

He imposed a sentence of 18 months, reduced to 12 months because of Muhmood’s guilty plea.

Muhmood was disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to take an extended retest.

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