A JUDGE says he would have banned a "third strike" Bradford danger driver for life and locked him up for longer if he could.

Shahbaz Hussain, 32, was told by Judge Jonathan Rose that the maximum sentencing powers seemed "inadequate" in his case, which involved a 20 minute police pursuit over 20 miles at more than double the speed limit at times.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Hussain, of Vicar Lane, Bradford, had already been convicted of dangerous driving twice before as well as being disqualified from driving a number of times too.

He had also failed to take an extended retest following his last driving ban at the time of the incident and had double the legal limit of amphetamines in his system.

Judge Rose described Hussain's dangerous driving between Ilkley and Keighley in January 2020 as "amongst the worst this court has seen" without death, serious injury or damage being caused.

Hussain admitted driving dangerously, driving while unfit through drugs, driving while disqualified and without a licence and insurance.

He was sentenced to 16 months in prison, banned from driving for five years and his vehicle was forfeited.

The prosecutor described in court how police officers had initially spotted Hussain driving a Volkswagen Jetta above the 30mph speed limit shortly after midnight on January 11, 2020, on Leeds Road in Ilkley.

As Hussain sped up, they activated their lights in an effort to get him to pull over, but he continued to accelerate away.

The court heard how he reached speeds of 70mph in a 30mph zone, drove on the wrong side of the road, ran through a number of red lights, and forced oncoming cars to move out of the way to avoid a collision.

He braked so hard at one point that the Jetta fishtailed and from this point police believed he started taking more risks. He later turned his vehicle's headlights off altogether.

Hussain also lost control of the Volkswagen while taking a corner and sparks flew from the vehicle as he clipped a verge.

Police estimated that the pursuit which lasted 21 minutes in total should have actually taken 46 minutes.

The route saw him take in Leeds Road and Coutances Way at Ilkley, the A65 bypass, Bradford Road and Burley Road, Menston, Bradford Road at Shipley, Bradford Road A6038, Hollins Hill, Otley Road, Baildon Road, B6151, Northgate, Hawksworth Road, Goose Lane, Bingley Road, Carr Lane, Swine Lane, Bradford Road B6265, Royd Ings, Bradford Road A6035, Worth Way and Spring Row.

The police helicopter also became involved in the pursuit, which ended in Otley Street in Keighley, a dead end.

Hussain then climbed into the rear seat of the car, claiming he was not the driver, but simply a passenger instead.

In mitigation, the court heard that Hussain was remorseful and accepted his "terrible decision making" had caused danger to himself and others.

His partner was due to give birth shortly and he viewed this as a turning point in his life.

"He clearly has a problem with drugs and he does want to address this," it was said in his defence.

But Judge Rose said, given Hussain's history for ignoring driving bans and previous dangerous driving convictions, he had difficulty in accepting this was really a turning point.

Of his initial insistence that he was not the driver, the Judge added that he had tried to mislead the police who he "had been dodging up to that point for some 20 miles".

His "terrible driving" would have instilled fear in any road users who encountered him that night.

He added of his brazen disregard for the rules: "I am not entitled to disqualify you forever".

"You do what you want and you have no care for other road users whose lives you put in danger."