A CONVICTED dangerous driver was behind the wheel with five passengers during the Covid-19 pandemic then gave false details to Worcester police.

Asif Muntaza admitted obstructing/resisting a constable in the execution of his duty and driving without insurance when he appeared before magistrates in Worcester on Thursday. The 22-year-old was behind the wheel of a Honda Civic when he was pulled over by police in Malvern Road, Worcester on November 30 last year. Aleigha Adams, prosecuting, said: "The defendant was stopped in his vehicle due to the fact it was 4am and there were five other people in that vehicle. This raised the suspicion of the police due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic."

Officers also noticed the car was registered to a female and registered as being off-road. When asked for his details Muntaza gave his name as 'Darren Masters'. The car was seized and the defendant was issued with a traffic offence report for no insurance. However, police later received a response from the person they had been told was driving the car saying he was not behind the wheel, giving the details of the man he thought had been driving.

"He (Muntaza) intentionally provided false details to evade police enforcement," said Miss Adams.

Muntaza had 24 previous convictions for 42 offences including dangerous driving and driving with no insurance and no licence. On March 2 this year he received a sentence of 10 months imprisonment said Miss Adams and was banned from driving for two years and five months. "These are offences committed after the dangerous driving but before it was committed to the crown court for sentence" said Miss Adams.

Aatif Riaz, defending, said Muntaza of Bakeman House, Yardley, 'simply panicked' because he had five people in the car and was not insured, describing him as 'genuinely remorseful'. He was fined £80, ordered to pay costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £34. His licence was endorsed with eight penalty points.