A LEARNER driver hurtled around Oxford at nearly 100mph, ploughing into manned roadworks, during an early hours police chase.
Traffic cones flew into the road and workers ‘narrowly avoided’ being hit as Ubaid Rahman raced around the city during the high speed city antics.
The 19-year-old of no fixed abode had already admitted one count of dangerous driving and was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court yesterday.
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Outlining the case prosecutor Alexandra Bull said Rahman was at the helm of a black Honda Accord in the early hours of August 20 last year.
Shortly after 2am police spotted him on the A418 near Thame and he was followed after previously failing to stop for an officer.
Rahman then shot off from police and drove at nearly 100mph towards the village of Tiddington, steering into the wrong lane.
After racing past a HGV travelling at 90mph he eventually came to the outskirts of Oxford and to the A40 near Wheatley.
There, prosecutors said, was a lane closure, which Rahman ‘ploughed straight through’, and ‘with no regard for the safety of the road workers.’
Near the Thornhill Park and Ride he drove over traffic cones before carrying on to London Road and into Headington.
He continued the chase and travelled towards Windmill Road and The Slade, reaching speeds of up to 89mph.
Eventually the effort to flee police was brought to an end after Rahman crashed into parked cars along Howard Street.
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Prosecutors said the entire episode lasted about 14 minutes.
Rahman, who had held a ‘clean’ provisional driving licence, was arrested along with a male passenger.
He went on to test positive for cannabis and admitted dangerous driving.
The court also heard that Rahman was on bail at the time for dealing drugs, for which he was later jailed.
In mitigation defence barrister Jane Brady said that her client was ‘sorry and didn’t mean for it to get out of hand.’
She added that Rahman had suffered a period of homelessness and had a cannabis habit.
Explaining the incident she said on that day his circumstances were ‘completely out of hand’ and when he saw the police he ‘panicked foolishly and tried to get away.’
Sentencing, Judge Maria Lamb said: “Your driving that night could have killed other people.
“Could have killed your passenger, could have killed you.
“There are about as many aggravating features I am afraid as there could be.”
Rahman was jailed for a total of 10 months.
That sentence will run consecutive to an existing jail term of two years and six months for offences of drug dealing.
He was also disqualified from driving for two years and five months.
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