Police officers forced to dive out of the way of 'stupid' law graduate who crashed twice in Leeds city centre
A law graduate drove directly at officers trying to stop him in Leeds city centre, forcing them to dive out of the way as revellers made their way home from a night out.
Amaan Bhatti crashed his VW into a taxi in the early hours of the morning and when police intervened, he reversed at speed, crashing into another car, before driving straight for the officers, mounting kerbs where pedestrians were walking and running red lights.
Getting away from the scene, he handed himself into police days later when he knew they were on his trail.
The 26-year-old narrowly avoided being locked up after admitting dangerous driving, but failed to adequately explain why he took off from police, despite having a full licence and insurance.
Sitting at Leeds Crown Court this week, Judge Richard Mansell KC told him: “You made a stupid misjudgement. I can’t help suspect that you might well have been under the influence of something and were worried about being tested.
“Whatever the reason, you drove off and it was stupidity on your part.”
The court heard that two officers were called to a scene on Lower Briggate at around 1.30am on October 22, 2023, after Bhatti’s VW Artean had collided with a taxi.
When asked to pull over, he appeared to do so but then reversed at speed up Trevelyan Square, lost control and hit another parked car.
Quickly putting the car back into first gear, he then went forward at speed and forced the advancing officers on foot to dive for cover.
He then mounted a raised kerb area to get past stationary traffic, despite the pavements being busy with pedestrians on a night out.
He then ran red light on Boar Lane, another towards City Square before heading the wrong way along a one-way street, prosecutor Zanisha Herbert said.
Bhatti, of Shipley Fields Road, Bradford, handed himself into police days later after he found out officers had been to his previous address in Halifax looking for him.
He has three previous convictions for five offences, including driving while banned, without insurance and drug driving.
A probation report suggested Bhatti had little explanation for his driving that evening, other than he “panicked”.
The report found he has a law degree but is currently out of work and is a carer for his mother. He is married with two young children.
Mitigating Nicholas Hammond pointed to Bhatti’s early guilty plea and that he has not been in trouble since.
He said: “It has been hanging over him and his family for some considerable period of time. He is a family man and takes his responsibilities very seriously.”
Judge Mansell told Bhatti: “It was a night out coming to an end. You could easily have hit somebody.”
He added: “It was pure luck rather than than skill that you managed to avoid hitting any other vehicles or pedestrians.”
He gave him eight months’ jail, suspended for 12 months. He also gave him 150 hours of unpaid work, 10 rehabilitation days with probation and banned him from driving for two years.
He must take an extended retest to get his licence back.