CCTV footage shown in court has captured the moment a driver mounted the pavement and struck a passer-by after a furious dispute over a parking ticket. Samina Akhtar, 30, lost her temper when a parking warden issued a ticket to her silver Vauxhall Astra, which was parked at a bus stop in Bradford.
Footage played at Bradford Crown Court showed Akhtar confronting the warden outside an off licence, shouting: 'I just went to the shop for two minutes. Get the f*** out of here.' The situation escalated when Akhtar kicked the warden and, as a passer-by intervened, she reached into her car and waved a metal wheel brace in a threatening manner. A struggle then broke out involving the passer-by and two of Akhtar's friends.
Moments later, Akhtar got behind the wheel and attempted a three-point turn in the road. The court was told she drove against traffic, mounted the pavement and struck the passer-by before reversing into a lamppost. As the injured man tried to pull her from the vehicle, she drove away with the door still open.
Akhtar was arrested shortly after the incident on November 7, 2024. On the way to custody she told officers: 'There are a few girls hitting and swearing at me and wanted to start fighting. I will not lie, I panicked and I have driven on the footpath.' Three months later she was stopped by police while driving an Audi A3. Cannabis was found on a passenger and drug residue was discovered in the vehicle. A roadside test on Akhtar was positive and she was arrested again.
The court heard Akhtar, of Trenton Drive, Bradford, has six previous convictions for nine offences, including battery. She admitted assault, dangerous driving, affray, possession of an offensive weapon and drug-driving. Mitigating, Verity Barnes said Akhtar had been homeless at the time and was living in her car after suffering threats linked to her sexuality being exposed. She said her client was 'constantly in a state of fear' and was 'ultimately very sorry' for her actions.
Judge Kate Rayfield said: 'I accept that you need help for the position you find yourself in, which is a constant state of fight or flight. I struggle a little bit with what you did to the traffic warden. That was not fight or flight, that was just anger directed at someone just doing their job. That was just spoilt behaviour on your part.' Akhtar was given an 18-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and attend 40 rehabilitation days. She was also banned from driving for 12 months and must pass an extended test before returning to the road.
