A DISQUALIFIED driver who reversed at speed away from police who tried to arrest him has avoided an immediate jail term.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Mohammed Nazir was spotted at the wheel of a VW Golf on St Leonard’s Road in Bradford on August 21 last year despite being banned from driving.

When officers in a patrol car went nose-to-nose with the Golf, Nazir reversed and made off via an alleyway.

His front seat passenger was seen to pull down the driver’s side visor to cover Nazir’s face.

Nazir reversed down Washington Street and into Birch Street onto a pavement and through bollards.

He accelerated, still in reverse, towards a member of the public who had to take evasive action and drove at speed through surrounding residential streets between parked cars again mounting the pavement.

At this point, officers lost sight of him. The car was later found abandoned.

The court heard that Nazir, 22, of Agar Street, Bradford, had three previous convictions for dangerous driving.

He was said to have been influenced by “negative peers” with the “constant threat” of people coming to his home and demanding that he drive them to different places.

His Honour Judge Jonathan Gibson opted to give Nazir a chance by not imposing an immediate prison sentence and handed him a 12-month sentence suspended for two years.

He was ordered to undertake 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and a “trail monitoring requirement” and to pay £300 costs at £80 a month.

He was disqualified from driving for two years.