A YOUNG driver who led police on an eight-minute chase through narrow residential streets before crashing has escaped an immediate jail term.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Felan Panwar had been at a christening on October 15 when, at around 3.15pm, he drove his Ford Fiesta at speed onto a Shipley town centre street, causing a police car to take evasive action.

Prosecutor Samuel Ponniah said he then ignored the officers’ siren and blue lights signalling him to pull over and instead drove off, fearing that having had a drink he might be over the limit.

Over the next eight minutes, he led two police cars in a pursuit that took him out of Shipley, into Saltaire, and then onto a housing estate.

En-route he ignored a stop sign, went through a red light at a pedestrian crossing, clipped a car that was queuing in traffic, drove at 50mph in a 20mph zone, and eventually crashed into a wall at the end of Hirstwood Road.

He jumped out of the Fiesta and ran off. When caught by police he said, “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

The chase and crash were captured on dashcam video, which showed two passengers in the car. They were also detained at the scene.

He was breathalysed at the scene but found to have a zero reading. In a police interview he admitted dangerous driving and later pleaded guilty.

Mitigating, Emma Handley said Panwar, now 22, of Cherrytree Avenue, Greengates, Bradford, and the father of a two-year-old child, was remorseful and acknowledged the risks of his behaviour on the day.

She said: “He is aware that he should not have been driving in that way.”

Sentencing Panwar, who he said “lacks maturity”, Mr Recorder Tony Watkin took note that he was “quite terrified” of the prospect of prison but that he was “just persuaded” to suspend a sentence of imprisonment.

He said: “I noticed as the video was shown that you had your head in your hands – ashamed, I am sure, to watch that driving on that day.

“It’s not some abstract film.

“It’s the reality of how you were behaving on that day for what were purely selfish and stupid reasons but which could, but for chance, have resulted in the serious injury or death of someone including someone like your two-year-old who you profess in your [probation] report to really care about.”

He sentenced Panwar to 18 months in prison suspended for 18 months and ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work plus 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days to address his maturity and thinking skills.

He was disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to take an extended retest before getting behind the wheel again.

He was also ordered to pay costs of £150.