A DANGER driver who led police on a high-speed chase while driving the wrong way down a bus lane during rush hour has been jailed for 12 months.

Wajid Hussain, 25, of Cunliffe Terrace, Manningham, led police on a brief chase less than a mile from his house on June 11 this year, before being caught and arrested after his path was blocked by parked cars.

READ MORE: Wajid Hussain banned from city centre for 10 years

Hussain was already banned from driving when he was caught behind the wheel of a white BMW 1 series, which was parked in the car park of Manningham Lane Retail Park at around 6pm.

Police officers drove up to his car, which had two passengers, and suspected drug-related activity was taking place, so turned on their blue lights.

When this happened, Hussain sped off, racing down the Manningham Lane bus lane before cutting across traffic down Nestfield Street and along Midland Road, Cornwall Road and Lupton Street.

He then drove the wrong way up one-way street Holywell Ash Lane, mounting the pavement to go around an oncoming car, before passing children playing in the street at speed and heading back onto Manningham Lane, where he drove the wrong way down the bus lane.

He then headed along Bowland Street, Lumb Lane and Green Lane, before being blocked by parked cars and arrested.

During the chase, Hussain reached speeds of more than 60 miles per hour, and when he was arrested he was abusive to officers, who had to use CS spray to restrain him.

Duncan Ritchie, prosecuting, said Hussain has 14 previous convictions for 23 offences, including a number of driving convictions, and was already in prison before he was sentenced for a racially aggravated public order offence.

Simon Hustler, mitigating, said Hussain was “ashamed” of his behaviour.

He said: “He pleaded guilty at first opportunity, and had gone off the rails following the death of his father earlier this year.

“He feels ashamed and he realises he has to start acting like a man, and this is now how a man should act.”

Sentencing Hussain to a year behind bars, Recorder Anthony Hawks said: “You have a bad record relating to motoring offences, and appear again for dangerous driving and motoring matters.

“This occurred only weeks after you had been at the courts for driving while disqualified.

“I don’t know what you were doing but the message has got to go out in these courts that when people are required to stop by police they must stop.

“You engaged in a high speed police chase, driving through red lights at excessive speeds in a built up area where children were out and about on the streets.

“This was a reckless and extremely dangerous piece of driving, someone could have been killed.

“There are concerns in this city about the manner people are driving in, and rightly so. I hope what is said by your advocate, that at the age of 25 you know you have to grow up and start behaving like a man, is right.”

Hussain was jailed for 12 months for dangerous driving, and banned from driving for 18 months upon his release. When this ban is finished, he must take an extended driving test if he wants to drive again.