Bradford woman Zara Imtiaz jailed for dangerous driving

Police who pursued Zara Imtiaz clocked her driving at speeds of up to 90mph in a 30mph zone.

At one stage sparks were seen coming from the rear of her VW Golf as she accelerated over speed bumps.

Prosecutor Joel Wootton told Bradford Crown Court that 32-year-old Imtiaz, of Stevenson Street, Bradford, was spotted on Halifax Road in the city at 1.58am on August 4 last year by officers in a marked patrol car.

She accelerated away in an attempt to avoid them and ignored the car’s blue lights when officers turned them on.

The resulting chase, which was captured on dashcam, involved Imtiaz driving at more than 65mph on St Enoch’s Road, which has a 30mph limit, and eventually reaching 90mph.

Imtiaz pulled out into a roundabout, narrowly avoiding hitting another car, jumped a red light on Southfield Road at 70mph, and accelerated to 80mph in Little Horton Lane.

Bradford Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Heading towards Horton Park Avenue Imtiaz forced her way past vehicles and drove at 60mph in Laisteridge Lane, which has a 20mph limit.

Mr Wootten said: “As she did so she drove over five speed bumps at such speed that it caused sparks to fly from the Golf’s rear.”

More sparks were visible as the Golf travelled towards Great Horton Road where Imtiaz carried out a late overtake, almost hitting another car.

She drove through traffic lights at 60mph and was clocked travelling at 80mph past a petrol filling station.

Police were able to apprehend Imtiaz when she turned into Lime Street, which is a dead end.

They blocked her door, preventing her from fleeing, and she was caught she was trying to climb into the back seat. There were other people in the car.

Imtiaz was arrested at the scene. Checks showed the Golf was not registered to her, she was uninsured, and was disqualified from driving.

Further inquiries showed that three days earlier Imtiaz had been stopped whilst driving the Golf and had been reported for driving whilst disqualified and having no insurance. The car had been seized.

Mr Wootten said: “She was therefore aware, at least from August 1, 2023, that she was disqualified from driving.”

During a police interview she replied “no comment” to all questions put to her. She later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, and having no insurance.

The court heard that Imtiaz had previously been convicted of drink-driving in 2019, and had received a 12-week suspended sentence in 2021 for driving whilst disqualified and having no insurance.

She was banned again in October 2023, and once more in April 2024 for which she was jailed for 16 weeks.

Mitigating, Esther Buckoye said Imtiaz was “remorseful” and apologised to the court for her severe lack of judgment.

She said due to the influences that were around her at the time she had felt pressured into driving despite knowing she did not have a licence.

Miss Bukoye said: “She said there was a moment of clarity in her driving where she felt ‘I need to stop. I can’t continue to pursue this dangerous course of action.’”

Sentencing Imtiaz, who appeared via video link from HMP New Hall, to eight months in prison Mr Recorder Bryan Cox KC said she had “a very poor record” for road traffic matters.

He said: “This was a very serious instance of dangerous driving over a protracted period when you had passengers in your car and drove at very excessive speeds in a highly dangerous fashion.

“There has to be an immediate custodial sentence to reflect the seriousness of what you did.”

He sentenced Imtiaz to a total of eight months imprisonment and disqualified her from driving for two years and four months.

She must take an extended driving re-test before she gets behind the wheel again.