MAN JAILED FOR HELPING BRADFORD CABBIE TO COVER UP RUNNING RED LIGHT

A man has been jailed for more than two years after he tried to help a Bradford cabbie to avoid prosecution for running a red light in the city.

Atique Khan, 44, was locked up for his role in the bid to pervert the course of justice, but the cabbie, Kashif Khan, was spared jail after a judge said he was very lucky not to be following his co-accused into custody.

In July 2021, Kashif Khan’s Lexus vehicle was caught on another driver’s dashcam running a red light on the A650 in Bradford.

The incident was reported to the police, but after Kashif Khan received a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP), the pair embarked on what was described by Recorder Patrick Palmer as “sophisticated, determined and planned” offending.

The NIP was returned naming another driver and with an address which the judge was told had been used in similar nominations more than 170 times between April 2019 and April 2024.

The subsequent police investigation linked Atique Khan to the address and he was said to have provided it to Kashif Khan to mislead or confuse the inquiry.

After suspicions were raised another NIP was sent out in January 2022 and this time Kashif Khan nominated a different man at another address which police also had to check out.

The court heard that Atique Khan, who had previous convictions for perverting the court of justice and fraud by false representation, was also linked to the second address.

In an interview with Bradford Council’s taxi licensing department Kashif Khan put forward what Recorder Palmer said was “a third story” claiming that his vehicle had been taken to a garage to be repaired at the time of the red light offence.

Recorder Palmer said it was clear that the two defendants had “put their heads together” to provide another story.

Atique Khan, from Bradford, admitted a charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and was jailed for 26 months.

The court heard that Kashif Khan, 30, had no previous convictions and Recorder Palmer sentenced him to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, after he admitted perverting the course of justice.

Kashif Khan, who no longer works as a taxi driver, will have to do 250 hours’ unpaid work for the community and comply with 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days. He must also pay costs of £360.

Recorder Palmer said the pair had been cooperating from an early stage to deceive the police and prevent the administration of justice.

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