AN UNINSURED teenager sped off from the police at 90mph down Bradford’s Keighley Road before crashing into railings, a court heard yesterday.

Uwais Akhlaq was 17 when got behind the wheel of a Seat Leon in the early hours of August 15 last year, just six weeks after he was released on licence from a custodial sentence for house burglary.

Akhlaq, now 18, of Chellow Dene View, Heaton, Bradford, was seen by the police at 3am in a vehicle reported as earlier failing to stop.

Prosecutor Martin Robertshaw told Bradford Crown Court that Akhlaq accelerated off with passengers on board reaching 90mpm in a 30 zone on Keighley Road and running red lights at 70mph on Manningham Lane.

He lost control of the car on Green Lane and crashed into railings near a primary school.

The court heard the pursuit covered 1.8 miles and lasted 90 seconds.

Akhlaq and his passengers fled from the car and he was found by a police dog unit hiding behind a vehicle.

He had triggered two speed cameras during the chase that caught him going at 73mph on Keighley Road and Manningham Lane.

Akhlaq made an immediate full confession in his police interview and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to dangerous driving and driving without insurance. He was also a banned driver, Mr Robertshaw said.

Akhlaq had five previous convictions for 15 offences, including house burglary and dangerous driving when he crashed into a house and fencing causing £5,000 damage.

The August offence was committed six weeks after he was released on licence from a custodial sentence for house burglary.

He was remanded in custody for failing to attend an interview with his probation officer so that a report could be prepared ahead of sentencing.

Akhlaq’s barrister, Ayman Khokhar, said that his passengers urged him to continue driv-ing when the police ordered him to stop.

He was asked by a friend to drive the vehicle when he was associating with older males but he wasn’t drinking alcohol or taking drugs.

Mr Khokhar said Akhlaq had resolved to grow up and lead a law-abiding life.

He had enrolled at college with a view to bettering his qualifications to obtain work.

The teenager had “an incredibly difficult start in life” and had suffered tragic family bereavements.

He had also been taken seriously ill while on remand after an operation for appendicitis.

He was sentenced to a two-year community order with a rehabilitation activity require-ment, a requirement to attend the Thinking Skills Programme, 150 hours of unpaid work and a three month curfew order.

He was banned from driving for 30 months and then until he takes an extended retest.