A 'DANGEROUS' driver who led police on a chase which ended in him smashing another car into a shop front has been jailed.

A court heard how dad-of-two Yasar Mohammed Safdar, who had a history of ignoring driving bans, turned his head lights off in an effort to evade officers and jumped four red lights.

Judge Mr Recorder McDonald branded Safdar a 'danger to the public' following the incident in Blackburn on September 27 and said he had no choice but to jail him for nine months.

Mr Recorder McDonald said: "This was an extraordinarily bad course of driving.

"This was a deliberate disregard for the safety of others, including the safety of the chasing police officer, the driver of the car you crashed into and other road users.

"It's more through luck than judgement that the driver of the other vehicle was not injured or killed.

"If that was the case you would be facing a more serious charge. In an act of a coward you fled the scene, not caring or checking on the condition of the other driver.

"You don't seem to think the rules of the road apply to you. But they do. Driving is not a right, it is a privilege.

"In my view you present a danger to the public. The course of driving you engaged in on this occasion simply demonstrates that danger."

Preston Crown Court heard how police noticed Safdar speeding in his dad's silver Volkswagen Passat in Higher Audley Street at 2.20am.

Prosecutor Mark Stephenson told the court how when officers attempted to pull over Safdar, 27, he turned off his head lights and began to drive at high speed.

Mr Stephenson said: "The suspect vehicle continued along Higher Audley at speeds of 50mph, contravening a red light.

"He goes down the hill through another red traffic light at 60mph.

"He then goes through a further red light as they go into Blackburn town centre. He goes the wrong way down Paradise Street at speed and contravenes another red light at 60mph."

The court heard how Safdar continued towards Whalley Bank at 70mph and turned into Garden Street.

As he approached Wensley Road, Safdar's car crashed into the side of a moving Volkswagen Golf.

Mr Stephenson said: "The speed of the car was such that it sent both vehicles into a shop opposite, causing significant damage.

"The defendant then ran from the scene. The officer's primary concern was for the driver of the Golf.

"Mr Safdar left his DNA in the middle of the airbag and the vehicle was traced back to him."

Mr Stephenson said the driver of the Golf was not seriously injured.

However, the shop suffered thousands of pounds of damage and the business owner lost £400 of uninsured stock and had to pay a £250 insurance excess.

The court heard how Safdar, a taxi calls handler, of Nuffield Road¸ Headington, Oxford, told police he wasn't driving the Passat and that his DNA must have got on the airbag when he was handling it at another time.

He pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving at his first appearance at the crown court but presented with 'overwhelming evidence' pleaded guilty on the day of trial.

The court heard Safdar had two previous convictions for driving with no insurance and driving whilst disqualified.

He also had two previous bans - including one under the totting up process for speeding offences.

Defending, Alisdair Reid said: "There is no question this offence crosses the custody threshold. But the view of the probation service appears to be that sending Mr Safdar to prison would not only punish him it would punish his children, age three and seven, and it would punish his wife."

In a report read out in court, the probation service said Safdar didn't seem to understand he was not allowed to drive and needed to go on a course to change his mindset.

The author of the report also said Safdar, accepting his driving was dangerous, told them he panicked when the police tried to pull him over and once he had started felt he had no option than try to escape.

Safdar was also banned from driving for two years and told he will have to take an extended driving test.

On his release from prison he must also pay £1,200 costs, £750 compensation and the statutory victim surcharge.

The sentence comes after the Lancashire Telegraph launched its Stop the Madness campaign last year calling for people to drive more safely.