Motorist seen racing at high speed late at night in Birmingham is banned
A dangerous driver who was caught on camera street racing in Birmingham has been banned from the road.
Faisal Mahmood, aged 30, was filmed racing other drivers at high speeds in his BMW while spectators watched in Fort Parkway, Castle Bromwich on May 4, in breach of a High Court injunction banning such activity. The footage was seized by officers carrying out checks on another vehicle suspected of taking part in the street race.
He was spotted shortly before 12.30am by traffic officers in an unmarked police car. They were taking part in Operation Hercules, which was set up to tackle street racing.
They were at Fort Parkway where they saw Mahmood’s car at the traffic lights at Spitfire Island alongside several other vehicles.
He was seen in lane three and as the lights changed to green all the vehicles in lanes two and three accelerated hard, racing each other while a large crowd of spectators watched.
The vehicles raced to the next roundabout where they braked harshly and returned back down Fort Parkway towards Spitfire Island where they then lined up again for another race.
Sergeant Ade Brown, of Operation Hercules, said: “Mahmood was driving in a very dangerous manner, at high speed and clearly racing other drivers, putting the lives of motorists at risk. We need motorists to understand that we won’t tolerate illegal street racing or cruising on the region’s roads and will take action against motorists who flout the law and put other road users at risk.
"Our ultimate aim is to keep people safe. People have been killed and seriously injured while street racing and it’s simply unacceptable to put other motorists at risk in such a reckless way. We work closely with our partners on a range of tactics to identify, disrupt and enforce against those taking part or observing. Our priority is keeping the roads safe for all.”
Mahmood, of Welbeck Close, Monkston, Milton Keynes, was sentenced at Birmingham Magistrates Court on July 15 after pleading guilty to dangerous driving. Mahmood was sentenced to 24 weeks in custody, suspended for 18 months; ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work; banned from driving for 12 months; ordered to retake his driving test if he wants to drive again; and told to pay £85 costs plus a £154 victims' surcharge.
Another man has also been charged with four counts of dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice and will appear in court in future.
There is a High Court ban on street racing in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and the Cannock area. Anyone breaching it could face penalties including imprisonment, a fine, or an order to have their assets seized.
The injunctions prohibit people driving, being a passenger or rider at a gathering where there is motor racing, stunts or other dangerous or obstructive driving. Incidents of street racing should be reported to the police via the number 101.
