‘Stupid’ Leeds man that hit couple in souped-up Subaru as they got off the bus spared jail

Inzaman Sikandar, 26, of Armley Grange Rise, was driving on Park Lane at 10pm on February 16 this year in his silver Subaru when it spun out of control and the rear hit a boyfriend and girlfriend.

Today (Thursday) Leeds Crown Court was shown CCTV footage of the collision, during which Sikandar reached speeds of 50mph in a 30mph zone to undertake a taxi on Park Lane in wet conditions.

While approaching a blind turn, Sikandar lost control and the rear of his car hit the couple near the junction with Marlborough Street.

Prosecuting, Laura McBride said: “The complainants were thrown in to a large bush and fortunately this is what appeared to soften their fall.”

Sikandar’s “performance vehicle” then collided with a metal post on Rutland Street.

When the police arrived, the defendant said that another car came out of the blind turn at Burley Street and made him lose control.

However, CCTV footage showed there was no other car involved and Sikander was arrested three days later.

At the police station he refused to provide police with the pin number for his phone, which he was also later charged with.

Police also found that the MOT had expired on Sikandar’s vehicle and his registration plate had been tampered with to read “KILLS G”.

As a result of the collision, the male complainant suffered a broken shoulder and “extremely nasty” bruising. In a victim impact statement he said that he had “frequent flashbacks” of the car coming towards him.

The female suffered soft tissue damage as well as “anxiety, stress and a lack of sleep”.

Sentencing Sikandar, who had no previous convictions and had pleaded guilty to the charges, Judge Penelope Belcher said that his driving was “undoubtedly stupid” and that it was “sheer fluke” that the injuries were not more serious.

She said: “You were then unable to admit how stupid you had been and told police that an unknown vehicle exited the junction. CCTV showed you had lied about that.”

Judge Belcher sentenced Sikandar to an 18 month suspended sentence, ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and banned him from driving for two years.