A MAN is behind bars after unleashing “extremely dangerous” driving on some of Bradford’s major roads.

Sohail Ahmed, 29, of Giles Street, Little Horton, was already disqualified twice when he took his sister’s VW Golf and drove dangerously on roads including Leeds Road and Manchester Road.

He appeared before Bradford Crown Court yesterday and was told by Judge Jonathan Rose: “There must be an immediate prison sentence.”

Police officers were alerted to Ahmed’s driving on September 9, 2019. The court heard his wheels were “screeching” and he was doing donuts.

Prosecutor Jonathan Sharpe said other vehicles were about and collisions were narrowly missed. Officers began following Ahmed and illuminated their lights. The court heard it would have been obvious from the time of night that he would have seen this, but he failed to stop and drove at excessive speed.

At one point, a large coach which was travelling on Manchester Road had to swerve to avoid a collision, and Ahmed drove the wrong way down a street.

The pursuit lasted around five minutes and Ahmed was arrested, but when interviewed by police claimed he was not the driver and they had run off.

Ahmed pleaded guilty to both taking the car and dangerous driving yesterday.

Bradford Crown Court heard he was disqualified twice at the time of the offending, had a catalogue of previous of convictions and went on to offend again after this incident.

Adam Keenaghan, mitigating for Ahmed, told the court that he was in a period of mental ill health at the time of the driving, was not thinking straight and could not control his behaviour.

He told the court Ahmed was back in education and was seeking to “get himself back on the right track”.

Mr Keenaghan said he had not offended since October 2020 and there appears to have been a sea change in his behaviour.

Judge Rose said Ahmed had exposed others to the risk of serious injury, or even death and he had driven in a “wholly inexplicable” and “extremely dangerous” way.

He said Ahmed did not admit the offences when he was arrested, claiming someone else was the driver, nor did he admit his offending at the lower court.

The judge said that a man who drives in such a manner and “causes such danger” can only expect a sentence of immediate custody.

He rejected he had changed and said: “You have not changed, because as we can see, whilst you committed no further driving offences, in 2020 you continued to offend right up until October.”

Judge Rose told him: “There must be an immediate prison sentence.”

He was handed a 15-month jail sentence following a reduction of one quarter for his guilty pleas.

Ahmed was also disqualified from driving for three years and 7 months and will not be able to drive again until an extended retest has been taken.

He must also pay a victim surcharge.