Footage was captured on police dash-cam showing a VW Golf driver Atif Qasim flew over an island on the A47 Heartlands Parkway, near Star City, while racing a BMW.
As part of Operation Hercules, tackling street racers officers gave pursuit and quickly pulled over Qasim and BMW driver Sajad Hussain on March 25 as they raced at 90mph.
The pair were arrested and charged with breaching the city-wide High Court order which outlaws street racing and wider anti-social behaviour like riding in convoy, performing stunts, or revving engines, blaring horns and playing loud music at vehicle gatherings.
Hussain, aged 27, from Ronald Road, Bordesley Green, admitted the offence at court on April 9 and received a suspended jail sentence.
However Qasim, aged 20 from Ward End Park Road, Alum Rock, failed to turn up at court and was rearrested after officers tracked him down through known associates.
When he appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Tuesday, May 8 he was sent straight to prison to start a seven-month sentence and was also ordered to pay £726 in court costs.
Car cruising injunctions are in place across the whole of Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country.
Birmingham Police Sergeant Martin Williams said anyone who flouts the injunctions by racing on the city’s streets runs the risk of being jailed.
He added: “Several drivers have been arrested and put before the courts in recent weeks for breaching the injunction.
“They were given suspended jail sentences − which means if they are caught again they will likely end up behind bars − but this is the first case of a driver being handed an immediate term of imprisonment.
“It should act as a stark warning to any motorist who thinks they can drive dangerously or anti-socially on our streets with impunity.
“The Car Cruising Injunction is a powerful piece of legislation and ignoring it can have very serious consequences.
“We run regular operations into the night on the lookout for anyone breaching the conditions.
“We won’t tolerate street racers; these are public roads not private race-tracks and we’re determined to bring offenders to justice and keep our streets safe.”
Cllr Tristan Chatfield, Cabinet Member for Community Safety & Equalities at Birmingham City Council, added: “The courts have now made it very clear they share our view that car cruising is dangerous, anti-social and simply has no place on the city’s streets.
“I hope this sentence makes others think twice and helps make our roads safer places for everyone who uses them − and I also thank West Midlands Police for their support in enforcing our injunction to help achieve this aim.”
Pictured: Atif Qasim
