Man sentenced for dangerous driving on M1
Police officers were on patrol near junction 9 when they spotted a Jaguar XF R racing another vehicle, heading towards the M25
A man has been sentenced after admitting to driving dangerously because he had been 'made to feel that his vehicle was inferior' during a car meet.
Shortly after 11pm on Sunday 3 May, Hertfordshire police officers from the Road Policing Unit (RPU) were on patrol near junction 9 of the M1, near Redbourn, when they spotted a Jaguar XF R racing another vehicle, heading towards the M25.
The vehicle, which also had a passenger in the front seat, was seen to travel at speeds of more than 120mph, while undertaking and weaving in and out of traffic.
It was stopped by police and the driver, 43-year-old Habib Moghaddam, was arrested at the scene before later being charged with dangerous driving.
He pleaded guilty during a hearing on Tuesday 26 May, before being sentenced at St Albans Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (27 August) to 20 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.
He was already subject to an interim driving ban following his guilty plea, which will remain in place until May 2027.
Moghaddam, of Queens Drive, Ealing, was also ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work and to pay a victim surcharge and costs.
PC Jason Appleby, from the RPU, said: “Unbelievably, Moghaddam stated that his excuse for driving so badly was because he had attended a car meet that evening and had been made to feel that his vehicle was inferior to others present.
“As a result, he made the decision to race down the M1, putting his life, his passenger’s life and other members of the public in severe danger.
“This type of behaviour will simply not be tolerated, and we will continue to do all we can to bring dangerous drivers before the courts.”