A cannabis dealer who crashed into a car containing young children while fleeing from the police has been jailed for nine months.

Saqib Mehmood was selling the drug in Bradford when he was spotted by officers on patrol at just after 7pm on September 22, 2019.

Prosecutor Austin Newman told Bradford Crown Court that Mehmood was the sole occupant of a Skoda when he was observed dealing to a man on a street corner.

Police in a marked patrol vehicle ordered him to stop but he drove off at high speed.

Mehmood, 21, of Hudson Crescent, Great Horton, Bradford, led officers on a two and a half mile pursuit across central Bradford before colliding with a vehicle.

Mr Newman said the Skoda was chased from Pemberton Drive along roads including Laisteridge Lane, Horton Park Road and Shearbridge Road.

It went straight across double roundabouts, did 50mph down Canterbury Avenue and jumped red lights

The vehicle reached speeds of up to 70mph.

Mehmood then collided with a Vauxhall Insignia containing young children.

The youngsters had to be checked by paramedics, the court heard.

He went on to hit a parked Lexus before coming to a stop.

Mehmood argued with the Insignia driver who got out to remonstrate with him, showing no remorse, Mr Newman said.

Cannabis with a street value of £265 was seized from the Skoda.

Mehmood pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cannabis and supplying cannabis.

He also admitted dangerous driving and driving while disqualified and uninsured.

On November 11, 2019, he was banned from driving under the totting up provision.

While on bail for the crown court matters, he was caught at the wheel of a Seat Leon on St Stephen’s Road, off Manchester Road, in the West Bowling area of Bradford on February 13 last year while he was disqualified from driving.

Mehmood’s barrister, Shufqat Khan, said it was over a year since he had committed any offences.

He had run up a £500 debt to his cannabis dealer and was selling the drug to pay it off, the court was told.

He panicked when he saw the police because he had the drug in the car.

Mehmood was young enough to change and he had shown that he could keep out of trouble, it was pointed out.

A heartfelt letter from his mother spoke of his lack of a male role model when growing up and the progress he had made in the last year.

But Judge Colin Burn said: “This was a serious series of offending.”

Mehmood was jailed for a total of nine months and banned from driving for 16 months and 15 days and until he takes an extended retest.