A 20-year-old dangerous driver who forced other motorists to swerve to get out of his way as he tried to flee pursuing police was told by a judge it seemed to be “a matter of routine” to drive without insurance in Bradford.

Bradford Crown Court heard uninsured Muhammed Waqas sped away from police when they tried to stop him, careering through residential streets with little regard for the safety of his passengers, who were “scared to death”, or other members of the public.

He drove at up to 65mph in a residential area, entering junctions and a roundabout without slowing down and forcing other drivers to swerve and brake to avoid collisions.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said young men and cars did not seem to go well together and that it was a matter of routine to drive without insurance.

He told Waqas: “You have fallen prey to having a car and driving it without insurance, and when police pulled you up you shot off like a bat out of hell.”

Waqas admitted that his two friends in the Honda Civic were “scared to death” by his driving.

Judge Durham Hall told him: “You could have killed yourself, your friends, and, far more importantly, other decent members of this community who had to swerve to get out of the way.”

Prosecutor Martin Robertshaw told the court yesterday that traffic officers were carrying out speed checks in West Lane, Keighley, last September when Waqas drove past at 50mph. Police followed but, Mr Robertshaw said, the defendant proceeded to drive in a dangerous manner to try and lose them.

He said one driver had to swerve to avoid a collision when Waqas made a right turn without slowing, and two more motorists had to brake and swerve at a roundabout.

The defendant got held up by traffic in South Street. He pulled up and got out and was interviewed at the roadside, admitting he had failed to stop because he had no insurance. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

His barrister, Charlotte Eastwood, said it was not the most serious offence of its kind and there had been no collisions or injuries. He worked in the family’s takeaway restaurant business and would manage a new one when it opened.

Judge Durham Hall said Waqas had eventually stopped and made a clean confession. He was not a bad man and wanted to work hard.

Waqas, of Redcliffe Street, Keighley, was sentenced to an Intensive Alternative to Custody Order, involving supervision, specified activities with the YMCA and Responsible Road Users Group, 80 hours’ unpaid community work and a curfew for 28 days. He was banned from driving for two years, and ordered to take an extended driving test, and ordered to pay £700 prosecution costs within six months.

The judge told him: “If you breach the order nobody will give you a second chance. If you prove me wrong, I’ll lock you up.”