Former council member escapes prison sentence following drunk driving accident

A former councillor narrowly avoided imprisonment after colliding with a school wall while driving under the influence of alcohol, resulting in injuries to four people.

Shaz Nawaz, 47, from Park Road, Peterborough, told the court he usually does not drink but consumed alcohol to ease a toothache, Huntingdon Law Courts heard.

Nawaz, once the leader of the Labour group on Peterborough City Council, lost control of his BMW on Park Road at 19:10 GMT on 16 March. Three children and a woman were passengers at the time.

Judge Jonathan Seely described Nawaz as "fortunate" to avoid jail and handed him a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, after he admitted dangerous driving and exceeding the alcohol limit.

He was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service, pay a victim surcharge of approximately 186, and was banned from driving for 12 months, with a requirement to pass a re-test.

The woman in the car suffered a broken arm, while the children sustained minor injuries.

Following the incident, Nawaz recorded 80 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath in a roadside testmore than double the legal limit of 35 micrograms.

Prosecutor Francis Ghaskin said Nawaz's BMW hit a school wall after he lost control, causing substantial front-end damage and deployment of multiple airbags.

The court heard that Nawaz was driving at excessive speeds in a 30mph zone, with CCTV and witness testimony suggesting speeds of around 80mph. Judge Seely described the collision as "very, very serious" and said it was miraculous that no one suffered more severe injuries.

Defence lawyer Phillip Farr explained that Nawaz drank alcohol to alleviate a toothache while traveling from Pakistan to the UK and admitted continuing to drink vodka before the crash. Farr emphasized Nawazs embarrassment over drinking due to his Muslim faith and highlighted his charitable contributions to the Peterborough community.

Judge Seely acknowledged positive character references, describing Nawaz as a man of "exceptional good character" and a fair employer.

Nawaz has no prior convictions but has three points on his licence for speeding in 2021. He previously served as the councillor for Park Ward before stepping down in 2023 and has since left the Labour Party.

Author: Natalie Monroe