A “PAL” covered for a disqualified driver who fled police and flipped his car in a crash with innocent motorists.

Amhar Ali, 20, of Arncliffe Terrace, was sentenced to a year in prison for driving a motor vehicle dangerously at Bradford Crown Court on Friday.

Zuhayb Shahid, 20, of Langley Avenue, was sentenced to nine months in jail for perverting the course of public justice.

Both men – who had just turned 19 at the time and were friends - were in a blue Toyota Yaris in Bradford city centre at 2.45pm in the afternoon on May 22 last year when police began chasing them after the car failed to stop and went in the opposite direction, the court heard.

Ali went along Duncan Street and then began overtaking cars on another road, before going past vehicles that were queueing at traffic lights on Ingleby Road.

The Yaris went straight through the red light and then at one point in the chase went onto the opposite side of the road.

This is when Ali crashed into another car being driven by a member of the public, which led to a third vehicle being involved.

Both were damaged and the Yaris flipped onto its side.

Police arrived and attempted to identify those in the Yaris and Shahid said at this point said he was driving the Yaris.

Both were arrested.

Nicola Hoskins, for the prosecution, said officers later identified that Ali – who had been disqualified from driving just 12 days before for driving while over the limit for drugs and alcohol – was in fact behind the wheel of the Yaris during the pursuit.

Both men pleaded guilty at the plea and trial preparation hearing for the case.

George Hazell-Owram, defending Ali, said: “He accepts it’s a serious incident of dangerous driving.

“The chase itself was relatively short, there was of course a collision as an aggravating factor, but thankfully nobody was injured in this case.”

In mitigation, the court heard Ali had lost his job and was struggling to afford to eat.

His only asset was the Yaris and his plan was to conduct some repairs and sell it on.

Mr Hazell-Owram said he fled police because he feared he might lose the car.

Lydia Carroll, defending Shahid, outlined he has no previous convictions and that he accepts that it was stupid to cover for his friend and was not thinking straight due to the chase and crash.

Recorder Alex Menary said to Ali: “You should not have been in a car.”

He said to Shahid: “This undermines the criminal justice system.

“A deception that went on for some time because you were trying to save your pal from the trouble he had put him and yourself in.”

Ali was also disqualified from driving for 18 months.