Yorkshire businessman who drove at speeds of over 150mph on M62 on Christmas Day is jailed

Zakhar Hussain, 30, told a series of lies to try to avoid prosecution including blaming another driver and producing a false invoice to support his claim that his vehicle was being repaired at a garage at the time.

But suspicious police officers carried out an investigation into Hussain’s claims and discovered that the garage didn’t exist and found incriminating photos and text messages on his phone.

Prosecutor Austin Newman told Bradford Crown Court how one image showed the inside of Hussain’s Mercedes C63 AMG and was taken just 20 minutes before the car was clocked doing 151mph.

The court heard that both speeding offences took place on Christmas Day 2019 with the Mercedes doing 140mph just before 1.30am and then being caught again in a similar location on the M62 just after 8pm.

Hussain, who had previous convictions for dangerous driving and driving while banned, was subsequently sent two notices of intended prosecution.

He initially gave the name of a another man, who couldn’t be traced, on the completed forms, but in later police interviews he claimed the car was being repaired at a Bradford garage.

Hussain, who is married with a young baby, eventually pleaded guilty to a charge of doing acts tending or intended to pervert the course of justice and today (Mar 29) Recorder Simon Eckersley rejected submissions that he could take an exceptional course in suspending the prison sentence.

Barrister Abigail Langford, for Hussain, said he had learned his lesson and he had responsibilities including running his own business and being the family breadwinner.

Recorder Eckersley accepted there was a good side to Hussain, but said offences of perverting the course of justice were always treated seriously by the court.

“It needs to be repeated that such behaviour cuts to the heart of the justice system,” he told Hussain.

The court heard that Hussain, of Newstead Terrace, Halifax, had “a weakness” for cars and Recorder Eckersley said the motorway offences had involved deliberate driving at grossly excessive speeds.

The judge told Hussain:”This was a web of deceit over a lengthy period of time with a degree of sophistication. The only question is whether that inevitable custodial sentence can be suspended. I’m afraid in the circumstances of your case it cannot.”

Rachel Wainwright, Digital Submissions and Investigations Team Manager for West Yorkshire Police, said: “The roads may be quieter on Christmas Day but driving at the speeds he was driving at is unbelievably dangerous at any time and it is sheer luck that no-one was seriously hurt.

“Hussain continually provided false and misleading information to police in attempts to evade prosecution for these numerous instances of dangerous driving.

“I hope that members of the public are reassured that another dangerous driver has been taken off our roads.”