Man jailed after 80mph police chase through city

Zaheer Khan failed to slow down during the pursuit, a court hears, even when outside Bradford Royal Infirmary

A man who attempted to escape from police by driving at 50mph above the speed limit through residential streets has been jailed for 16 months.

Zaheer Khan, 34, avoided officers through Bradford roads in a red Audi A1 in January and failed to slow down at a zebra crossing outside Bradford Royal Infirmary, the city's crown court heard.

He gave a false name when initially stopped by police officers and subsequently reversed at speed for more than 40m (131ft) towards oncoming traffic during the late-night pursuit.

Khan, of Bakes Street, Bradford, admitted motoring offences and was banned from driving for five years.

During the five-minute pursuit on 30 January, Khan reached speeds of 80mph on 30mph streets, the sentencing heard.

Khan, who had a passenger in the car, tried to run off after the Audi's path was blocked by another vehicle, but he was chased and arrested.

'Incredibly busy hospital'

The court heard Khan's roadside test showed a positive result for the presence of cocaine.

Khan had three previous convictions for dangerous driving and hadn't yet completed an extended driving test to regain his licence.

Recorder Nicholas Worsley KC told Khan: "The Bradford Royal Infirmary is an incredibly busy hospital with people, patients and staff coming and going at all times of the day and night.

"Of all the places for you to be behaving in this way that is perhaps one of the most inappropriate."

Khan apologised for his behaviour, but the judge warned: "You will end up killing yourself or killing someone else if you behave like this."

The court heard Khan was recently sentenced to 16 weeks in jail for further driving offences committed in the Midlands.

The judge emphasised he would still need to pass an extended driving test once his driving ban had elapsed.

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