A MOTORIST involved in a five-car pile-up took a high-powered hire car rented by his brother for a wedding before crashing.

Burnley Crown Court heard Raja Oomur Munawwar, 26, ‘borrowed’ the Mercedes C63 without permission before careering into a Volkswagen Touran, which shunted a BMW in Hibson Road, Nelson.

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And after being charged and released on bail he also drove a Vauxhall Vectra into a police patrol car during wintry conditions in Nelson last March, the prosecution said.

Officers had been alerted to the Vectra because Munawwar, who was already banned from the roads, had set off with his windscreen completely obscured by snow.

The court heard that the defendant had a ‘fascination with cars’ which had seen him notch up two dangerous driving convictions by the time he had turned 16.

Munawwar, of Ethersall Road, Nelson, admitted aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and driving without due care and attention in relation to the hire car collision.

He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified again and having no insurance, relating to the March crash. He also admitted to possession of cannabis found in his bedroom after police raided his home.

Defence counsel Mark Stuart said his client had endured a tough time while on remand as he required creams for his eczema and medication to treat a hereditary heart condition.

Jailing him for 20 months, Judge Simon Newell, said: “You would have thought that if he had a heart condition he would have been driving more carefully.”

Kimberley Obrusik, prosecuting said the defendant’s brother had hired a Mercedes C63 car for a wedding last October and had made it clear only he was permitted to drive the vehicle.

Munawwar took the keys and was driving it away from the family home when he turned a corner at speed and came across the scene of a crash involving a Honda Civic and VW Touran.

The defendant managed to avoid the Civic but struck the Touran, which was propelled into a BMW and Renault Megane, leaving all of the cars with significant damage.

Judge Newell also banned Munawwar from driving for five years and ordered him to take an extended driving test before he is allowed back behind the wheel.

The defendant also had a previous conviction for driving with excess alcohol.

One of the passengers in the Honda Civic was airlifted to Wythenshawe Hospital, in the aftermath of the incident, with serious injuries, it was reported at the time, and four others were hurt.