Brierfield pair jailed over stolen £57k BMW (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Brierfield pair jailed over stolen £57k BMW

6:00pm Tuesday 27th March 2012 in Brierfield

TWO men said to have been paid to move a stolen £57,000 BMW have both been jailed.

Takeaway worker Mohammed Amjad, 22, and Sheraz Afzal, 25, claimed they had been given £50 to collect the vehicle and had been provided with stolen number plates to avoid detection.

Police found the defendants, who both had gloves, with the car four days after it was taken in a house raid in the Man-chester area.

They were arrested, inter-viewed and made no comment, Burnley Crown Court was told.

The pair were bailed and Afzal was banned from Burnley at the time, when a man named Shahid Ansar, who knew the defendant, pulled into a petrol station in the town in the early hours and saw him. Some words were said, Mr Ansar decided to leave and Afzal followed.

The defendant then rammed Mr Ansar's car twice, set off in pursuit of him at high speed, rammed it again, instigated a collision and ended up being chased by the police, although he got away.

Afzal, who had earlier passed an extended retest ordered by a court, later rang the police and alleged Mr Ansar had rammed him and had approached him with a baseball bat.

Afzal, of Mansfield Crescent and Amjad, of Halifax Road, both Brierfield, had admitted handling stolen goods, last April.

Afzal also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and no insurance last September and was sent to prison for two years.

He was banned for three yea-rs and must take an extended retest. Amjad received an eight month custodial term. Jonathan Clarke, prosecuting, said Mr Ansar was shocked when Afzal rammed his car from behind as he drove off the garage. Afzal then reversed to get a ‘run up’ and rammed the victim's car again.

Mr Ansar drove off with Afzal in pursuit, trying to get away from him, He had to drive at high speed and overtake cars, and as he got to a roundabout, Afzal pulled alongside him and rammed him again.

Mr Clarke said the defendant was then pursued by a marked police vehicle, did not stop and got away.

Twelve hours later, he rang the police and blamed the victim for the incident.

Robert Golinski, for Amjad, said for the past six to seven months, he had tried to remain free of drugs and alcohol and had devoted himself to work.

For Afzal, Laura Barbour said he knew full well he should expect a prison sentence.