WATCH: " It is a miracle no one was hurt:" Disqualified driver jumps from moving car in Peterborough police chase

A disqualified driver has been jailed after he jumped out of his car while it was still moving, causing it to veer towards pedestrians outside a school.

Firearms officers were on patrol in Millfield, Peterborough, on the afternoon of 10 December last year when they spotted Bilal Dawlatzai, 24, driving a black Mercedes A180.

Being known to police and believed to not hold a valid driving licence, officers followed Dawlatzai while waiting for colleagues to carry out checks on the vehicle, which confirmed it had no insurance, and its driver was disqualified until May this year.

Dawlatzai was handed the ban, alongside a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence, in September 2022 after being convicted of seven drug dealing offences and seven driving offences.

Officers signalled for Dawlatzai to pull over, however he sped off along Exeter Road, dangerously overtaking vehicles and driving on the wrong side of the road.

The Mercedes mounted a curb, narrowly missing a pedestrian, and drove at speed in high-footfall areas.

Dawlatzai and his passenger jumped out of the car outside Fulbridge Academy, in Keeton Road, while it was still moving, leaving it veering onto a footpath towards members of the public and crashing into a fence.

Dawlatzai, of no fixed address, managed to get away but was arrested on 4 February and was recalled to prison until 13 December this year.

He appeared at Cambridge Crown Court this week where he was sentenced to 16 months in prison, after previously pleading guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

He was also fined £100 and banned from driving for a further three years, eight months and 72 days.

Detective Constable Joshua Crown, who investigated, said: “This was a great spot by officers who recognised Dawlatzai and knew he was banned from driving due to his previous convictions.

“His manner of driving was incredibly dangerous, exceeding 50mph in an area that was busy with pedestrians and other vehicles, before abandoning his car while it was still moving outside a school at pick-up time. It is a miracle no one was hurt.”