Speeding driver finally jailed after causing head-on crash

A speeding Audi driver from Dewsbury has finally been jailed for causing a head-on crash which left a librarian seriously injured.

Dewsbury man Yasser Ali, 28, claimed he was taking the car for a “test drive” with a view to buying it when he lost control on a bend in Godley Lane, Halifax (pictured).

The Audi, which was estimated to have been doing more than 60mph, smashed head-on into Alison Roberts’ Ford Fiesta sending it spinning across the road.

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After the crash in August 2016 Ali fled the scene, but was later arrested at Calderdale Royal Infirmary when he turned up to get his own injuries treated.

Ali, of Comroyd Street, denied that his driving had been dangerous that night and it was only when his case was listed for trial in February this year that he finally pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

During his sentence hearing at Bradford Crown Court Judge David Hatton QC heard details of a victim impact statement prepared by Miss Roberts in which she described how a metal plate had to be put in her left arm which was in a cast for eight months.

Prosecutor Imran Khan said one witness had described Ali’s car as going at “a colossal speed” while another thought the Audi had been “tailgating or racing” a BMW vehicle.

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The Crown submit this was a case of aggressive driving, driving too close and racing,” said Mr Khan.

The offence carries a maximum prison term of five years and Judge Hatton concluded that the appropriate sentence for Ali, bearing in mind his guilty plea at the “last minute”, was 30 months.

He said: “Your precise speed cannot be determined with accuracy but it was clearly the case that it was so excessive as to cause you to fail to negotiate the bend,” the judge told Ali.

“It caused you to straddle the opposite carriageway and you were unable to keep the vehicle under control.”

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Ali claimed that he only left the scene after seeing that the female driver was being assisted by others. He was also banned from driving for the next 39 months and he must take an extended re-test before he can lawfully drive again on the roads.