Peterborough mum says she is still traumatised from crash caused by drug dealer nearly two years on

A mum has said she is still traumatised by a crash caused by a Peterborough drug dealer after he had a prison sentence extended for supplying crack cocaine and heroin.

Nazhra Shahzad was travelling with her husband, two adult daughters, 17-year-old son and seven year old daughter on Elmfield Road when their car was struck twice, firstly by a car being driven by Mohammed Mehtab, which was being pursued by police officers, and secondly by a police car at about 1.30am on Sunday, July 24 2022.

The family were trapped in the car, which was left tilted at an angle following the crash, and they had to be rescued by being pulled from the windows.

Now Mehtab is behind bars – he was given a four and a half year prison sentence in October after admitting three counts of dangerous driving, three counts of driving without insurance, two counts of driving without a licence, two counts of driving while disqualified, two counts of drink driving, failing to stop for police, failing to stop at the scene of a collision, possession of cannabis, acquiring criminal property – namely cash, and four counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs – and now he has had an extra year added to that sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

However, nearly two years on from the crash, Nazhra and her family are still suffering from the effects of the crash.

Speaking to the Peterborough Telegraph, she said: “I am still traumatised by what happened. I hardly ever drive now as a result of the crash. My husband drives most of the time.

"When I see headlights coming towards us, especially at night, I get really worried, and think they will hit us.

"I still get flashbacks from what happened.

"My daughter still has a hematoma as a result of the crash.“It will take a long time for us to properly recover.”

Nazhra also welcomed the sentence handed out by the court.

She said: “If he comes out of prison and is a changed person, that won’t do anything else like this again, then it will be a good thing.”

Cambridge Crown Court heard that Mehtab, 21, of HMP Leeds was driving a black Volkswagen Tiguan along Garton End Road, in Dogsthorpe, when he realised the police car was behind him.

He moved onto the wrong side of the road and collided with a black Volkswagen Touran, driven by Nazhra, which then collided with the police car.

Mehtab continued but stopped in Elmfield Road after his car became undrivable. Mehtab ran off but was found asleep in the front garden of a nearby house.

Officers searched Mehtab’s car and found more than 210 wraps of crack cocaine, more than 40 wraps of heroin, about £540 of cash and a debit card.

A further stash of wraps of crack cocaine and heroin were found at the roadside.

DC Rhian Batterham Jones said: “Mehtab tried to deal drugs in Peterborough but fortunately we managed to get him off the streets and help to put him behind bars.

“He drove recklessly and put an innocent family and one of my colleagues at risk.”