July 25, 2022 11.44 am This story is over 20 months old

Waddington businessman who overtook 10 vehicles jailed for dangerous driving

The vehicles included an unmarked police car
Lincoln Crown Court. | Photo: The Lincolnite

A speeding driver who overtook ten vehicles including an unmarked police car and then drove through a red light was today (Monday) jailed for six months.

Waddington based businessman Adil Hussain, 35, carried out the manoeuvres on South Park Avenue in Lincoln – despite driving past the city’s main police station.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Hussain was initially travelling at around 50mph in a VW Golf when he came up behind an unmarked police car on South Park Avenue, which has a 30mph speed limit.

The court was told Hussain went past the officer and continued to overtake about “ten other vehicles” despite the presence of hatched markings.

Hussain paused for around three seconds when he reached the Canwick Road junction but then turned left through a red traffic light towards Pelham Bridge.

He was eventually pulled over by a marked police car after travelling up Lindum Hill and on to Greetwell Road.

Hussain later explained that he was worried about the presence of a white BMW behind him and panicked when he also noticed a gold coloured Land Rover with blacked out windows.

Mr Bhatia added: “He saw the white BMW, panicked and drove off. It was not the presence of a police car as that was unmarked.”

The court heard Hussain had a number of previous driving convictions and was sentenced to six months imprisonment in 2018 for dangerous driving. He was also sentenced to eight weeks imprisonment for driving while disqualified in 2020.

Hussain, of St Catherines, Lincoln, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on May 6 this year.

Baz Bhatia, mitigating, argued it was a short period of bad driving and told the court Hussain had turned his life around since being released from his last prison sentence.

Mr Bhatia said: “Having been released from his last prison sentence he got financial support from his family, setting up a car maintenance business in Waddington.”

The court heard Hussain was the driving force behind his Waddington based business, buying and selling cars, and it would not survive without him.

Mr Bhatia told the court Hussain was also the registered carer for his mother and carried out other valuable charity work in the community.

“I would ask the court to pass a suspended sentence so Mr Hussain can continue his solid work,” Mr Bhatia added.

“He is a decent man, he is a family man, he is a hardworking man.”

However, passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst told Hussain he could not pass a suspended jail sentence because of his previous record and the nature of the driving.

Judge Hirst said: “This was excessive speed, 50mph in a 30mph zone. You overtook about ten vehicles over hatched markings, and then you drove through a red traffic light.”

The judge added that even if Hussain was panicked by a white BMW it did not excuse his driving.

“The irony is that you drove straight past a police station,” Judge Hirst added.

Hussain was also banned from driving for 27 months and must take an extended retest.