Driver becomes first person convicted of street cruising in Birmingham

A driver’s become the first to be convicted of breaching Birmingham’s current street cruising injunction.

Mohammed Shabbir, 24, has now been given a criminal record after he was spotted on Small Heath Highway during an illegal car meet on 5 February this year.

Shabbir pulled off a garage forecourt in front of officers from Operation Hercules, the force’s dedicated operation to tackle illegal street racing and cruising.

He was spotted overtaking and undertaking vehicles at speed and was quickly arrested. On Wednesday, Shabbir, of Twyford Road, Ward End, admitted breaching the injunction and was given a jail sentence of 31 days, suspended for 12 months, when he appeared at Birmingham High Court.

West Midlands Police say there’s a major meeting of car enthusiasts planned for Birmingham tomorrow (September 2), but said they won’t tolerate illegal street racing or cruising on the region’s roads.

Offenders risk being arrested. If caught, participants can expect driving bans and fines of up to £5,000 and can have their vehicle seized and crushed.

What has West Midlands Police said?

Chief Inspector Becky Barnsley, from the Traffic department, said: “Anyone wanting to attend this weekend’s event either to take part or to spectate needs to be under no illusion that we’ll be using all of our powers to stop them.

“The roads of the region can’t be treated as race tracks. People have been killed and seriously injured at these types of events in the past and our ultimate aim is to keep people safe.”