A motorist led police on a dangerous “slalom” in Keighley as they pursued him, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Supermarket worker Zaheer Malik, 22, hit two vehicles, did handbrake turns, slewed his Volkswagwen Golf 180 degrees and drove on the pavement in his desperate bid to evade the law.

Malik, of Rupert Street in Keighley, fled the vehicle in Quail Street, but was quickly arrested and handcuffed in front of children in a nearby school playground.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and having no vehicle insurance, and was sentenced to a 12-month community order, with 200 hours of unpaid work and a probation requirement.

He was banned from driving for 15 months and he must take an extended re-test before he gets behind the wheel again.

Prosecutor Richard Smith told the court on Friday police pulled Malik’s car over in Hard Ings Road at lunchtime on May 16.

He suddenly sped off, almost hitting a wall as he made a handbrake turn around a sharp bend.

He overtook traffic, forcing oncoming vehicles to swerve to avoid him. Officers stated his driving was “like a slalom”.

Malik struck a moving vehicle in Lawkholme Lane and a parked taxi in Swallow Street. His engine revved noisily, his tyres screeched and his car had damage to the headlight, bumper and wing.

Malik then abandoned the Golf and ran off. He was caught and arrested after a struggle with police.

He told officers he sped away because he had a bald tyre and a small amount of cannabis in the car.

In mitigation, Malik’s solicitor advocate, Shaida Chaudhury, said: “He made a stupid and foolish mistake.” He was waiting until pay day before he paid to insure the car and panicked when the police pulled him over.

Malik was a hard-working man. He was very remorseful and had no previous convictions, she further told the court.

Judge Peter Benson ordered him to pay £150 compensation to the taxi driver, whose vehicle he damaged.

“It is fortunate no-one was killed or injured in this irresponsible piece of driving,” the judge said.