A Bradford man who killed a pedestrian while racing another car at 60mph through rush hour traffic has been locked up for six years.
Ihsan Khan, 23, had taken cocaine and been out drinking all night celebrating his birthday when he struck Richard Taylor, 59, on a pelican crossing on Manningham Lane, Bradford.
Khan was on the wrong side of a traffic island when he hit Mr Taylor at the Oak Lane junction at 8.50am on 30 July 2012.
Mr Taylor, of Bingley, was flung 35 metres and died immediately of severe multiple injuries, Bradford Crown Court heard last Saturday.
Khan, of Woodlands Street, White Abbey, Bradford, pleaded guilty to causing Mr Taylor’s death by dangerous driving.
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Javed Ali who was the passenger in his car rang the police to tell them he was driving the white Seat Ibiza at the time of the collision, admitted perverting the course of justice.
Prosecutor Andrew Dallas said Khan was racing the driver of a Toyota Yaris towards Bradford city centre. It was morning rush hour and other drivers were “alarmed” and “frightened”.
Despite a long and detailed investigation by West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, the driver of the Yaris had not been identified.
Mr Dallas said the Seat and the Yaris were seen travelling in Bingley together at 2.49am earlier that day.
They had been to Bradford city centre, Todmorden and Burnley overnight. Shortly before 9am, the cars were racing each other towards the middle of Bradford.
Mr Dallas said the Seat was doing 66mph at that point.
Mr Taylor was crossing the road to call at shops before his daily visit to his sister, Jane.
Miss Taylor said her brother was her only relative. He was a gentleman, “a good, kind, honest man.” She added: “Family for me is only a memory.”
Racing
In an attempt to get ahead of the Yaris, Khan drove on the wrong side of a traffic island at 60mph.
A female motorist heading out of the city centre was confronted by the Seat coming at her with a body rolling off the bonnet. The Seat swerved on to Oak Lane and sped off, its windscreen smashed in the impact.
Mr Dallas said that Ali, 22, of St Michael’s Road, White Abbey, rang the police saying he had “hit and runned” somebody.
He had blood on his face and the keys of the Seat in his pocket. He admitted taking cocaine and told officers: “I am guilty to it”.
Mr Dallas said scientific evidence showed that Mr Ali was the front seat passenger. Khan was arrested immediately upon arriving from Pakistan to the UK in June.
Khan was banned from driving for five years and his passenger Ali was jailed for 12 months and for a further six years later in the day for two other offences, making seven years in total.
