Dangerous Sheffield driver smashed car into motorists and fled the scene on foot

A dangerous Sheffield driver smashed his car into other motorists and then fled the scene on foot.
Sheffield Crown CourtSheffield Crown Court
Sheffield Crown Court

Zaid Zalim, 36, ploughed his Ford Galaxy car into the back of waiting motorists at traffic lights on Netherthorpe Road in Shalesmoor back in December 2016.

Sheffield Crown Court heard the reckless driver was travelling down the road at '60 mph' at 6am and the collision caused injury to one woman and damage to two cars.

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Zalim, from Vickers Road, High Green, then fled the scene on foot and didn't admit to the crime until he handed himself into police in February 2017.

He admitted the accident to officers but said he was going 'no more than 30 mph' and had 'seen someone who had stabbed him', the court heard.

Appearing via video-link, Zalim was remanded into custody after breaking the order of a suspended sentence on a previous conviction.

Serial offender Zalim has 31 convictions from 56 offences in which Judge Paul Watson QC called an 'atrocious record'.

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Ben Thomas, prosecuting said :"The defendant was driving a Ford Galaxy vehicle on the 40 mph Netherthorpe Road which turns into 30mph at the traffic lights.

"Driving at a high speed of at least 60 mph and crashed into a Jaguar car causing the motorist to push forward into a Peugeot.

"From tyre marks on the road revealed the ABS was not working on the car and the defendant fled the scene on foot."

The court was told the female driver of the Peugeot was taken to hospital with neck and back injuries.

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In a victim impact statement, teaching assistant Kirsty Foster said the collision had 'ruined her Christmas' and severely impacted on her job having to take five weeks off work.

Zaiban Alam, defending, asked Judge Watson to keep his sentence to a minimum and added Zalim's wife was struggling to get the four children to different schools.

Sentencing, Judge Watson QC passed a six-month jail sentence and a three-year driving ban.