Police boss slams court as 134mph racers walk free
THE region’s police commissioner has demanded that courts back the force after three drivers avoided jail terms for racing at 134 mph.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said the public expected tougher sentences for people who endanger lives.
He spoke after the drivers dodged an immediate prison sentence for a Sutton Coldfield street race. Amar Paul, Tejinder Bhuee and Zafar Iqbal were handed suspended prison sentences and banned from the roads for 12 months.
They were also fined £750 and ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work. All three had admitted charges of dangerous driving and street racing. CCTV footage seen at Birmingham Crown Court also showed Paul, 27, Bhuee, 24, and 33-year-old Iqbal driving two Mercedes and a VW Golf on a damp road through roadworks at up to 100 mph.
Footage of the race was recorded by an unmarked patrol car on the A38 near Minworth on March 5.
“Here, we have got a case where these people are driving at 134 mph in wet conditions in roads, where clearly there’s a speed limit much below that,” said Mr Jamieson.
“Modes of transport at these speeds cease to be something that moves you around and become a lethal weapon.
“We need much stronger efforts from the Government on road safety. We also need the courts backing us up and doing what ordinary people want, which is tough measures taken against people like this.
“If we are going to get a strong message about road racing and putting people’s lives at risk, we need tougher sentences from our courts.
“People are outraged and that’s where the courts have got to back us up. These people could be back on the road driving in 12 months after the ban. I don’t think any reasonable person would think that’s right.”