Shocking dashcam footage shows driver who had already been banned for killing teenage friend leading police on a 15-minute high-speed chase through city streets at FOUR times the speed limit

'It was only luck' Zahoor Hussain, 29, from Bristol, 'didn't hurt anyone'

He 'panicked when saw police' and drove at 80mph in 20mph zones

Family of Zoe Smith killed in 2012 branded his sentence 'a joke'

By JESSICA DUNCAN FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 09:27 GMT, 18 August 2016 | UPDATED: 12:03 GMT, 18 August 2016

Footage has been released that shows the terrifying moment a driver, who was banned for killing a friend, lead police on a high-speed chase through a city’s suburbs.

Zahoor Hussain, 29, from Almondsbury, Bristol, was jailed for 32 months and stripped of his licence in 2012 after a horror smash which killed 17-year-old friend Zoe Smith.

Police spotted him behind the wheel of a Mercedes last month and Hussain led them on a six-mile pursuit, reaching 80mph through 20mph zones.


Zahoor Hussain, 29, from Almondsbury, Bristol, took police on a dangerous pursuit as he reached
80mph in 20mph zones


Police spotted him behind the wheel of a Mercedes last month and chased him for six miles


The police dashcam caught Hussain in residential areas swerving through other cars and even into buses

Bristol Crown Court heard it was only through luck that no-one was killed or seriously injured in the 15-minute chase through the busy streets of Bristol.

Dashcam footage from one of the police cars shows Hussain swerving and hurtling past other vehicles at breakneck speed.

At one point he goes through a no entry sign and speeds the wrong way down a residential road.

He also shoots across junctions and careers around sharp corners in an attempt to evade cops before crashing into a bus and van.


Bristol Crown Court heard that Hussain (pictured) panicked when he saw police on July 22

Two officers leapt from their cars and dragged him out as smoke poured from the engine of the Mercedes C430.

Hussain admitted dangerous driving, failing to stop for police and driving while disqualified and without insurance.

He was jailed for 18 months at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday following the incident on the evening of July 22.


According to Alistair Haggerty, defending, Hussain knew he had 'chucked his life in the bin'


The court heard how it was only luck people like those on this street (pictured) didn't get hurt or even
killed by his actions

Recorder Andrew Maitland heard it was Hussain’s fifth conviction for driving while disqualified since 2004.

He told him: 'You have displayed you are a menace to the public when you are behind the steering wheel.

'Anybody who has watched how you drove would be aghast.

'It is a miracle that, on the way, other persons nor vehicles were damaged.

'It was inevitable there would be a crash at the end, given the manner of your appalling dangerous driving.'

Hussain was disqualified from driving for four years and nine months and told to pass an extended driving test. He was told to pay a £140 victim surcharge.



The family of Zoe Smith who died in 2012 said the sentence was 'a joke'


Smashing into a van in a last bid to get away Hussain was caught crashing into this red bus (pictured)
and some of its passengers experienced whiplash


Recorder Andrew Maitland said 'It was inevitable there would be a crash at the end, given the manner
of your appalling dangerous driving'


The court heard how this was his fifth conviction since being disqualified in 2004


The chase ended when two officers leapt from their cars and dragged him out as smoke poured from the engine of the Mercedes C430 (pictured)

The court heard that four bus passengers suffered whiplash in the crash.

Hussain made no comment to all questions when interviewed.

Alistair Haggerty, defending, said: 'He is very remorseful. It was clearly stupid behaviour. He says that day he went out and "chucked his life in the bin".'

Mr Haggerty told the court the part-time bakery worker knew he shouldn’t have been driving and panicked when he saw police.

Hussain was jailed for causing the death of his friend, Miss Smith, when he crashed his father’s Mini Cooper while speeding at 50mph in a 20mph zone in September 2010.

Her family branded the sentence 'a joke'.

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