Suspended jail term for drink-drive councillor

A Wyre Forest district councillor who drove twice while disqualified has been given a suspended prison sentence and two-year driving ban today.

Syed Mumshad Ahmed, aged 35, of Hurcott Road, Kidderminster, was given a 12-week sentence suspended for 12 months and a two-year driving ban at Redditch Magistrates Court.

The Tory councillor was also ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work. Ahmed pleaded guilty to driving a BMW 320 car on Mill Lane and Baxter Avenue Kidderminster while disqualified on May 14.

He had earlier admitted a further two charges of driving without insurance.

Miss Fiona Buckingham, prosecuting, said Ahmed, a councillor representing the Broadwaters ward, was seen by police turning into Conservative party headquarters in Mill Lane at 12.30pm and later at 9.30pm going towards Emery Court.

Mr John Rogers, defending, said if Ahmed, who is also a member of Worcestershire County Council, was jailed he would lose his takeaway business and was already in rent arrears.

Mr Rogers added that if the suspended sentence was more than three months Ahmed would lose his seats.

He said his decision to drive while disqualified "was a rash error of judgement".

District judge Michael Wheeler said the court would have no hesitation in locking him up if he flouted the ban again.

He described Ahmed as a "hardworking family man" who had driven when he shouldn't have done.

Ahmed was also ordered to pay court costs of £60.

Ahmed was banned from driving for six months in December last year. He declined to comment on the sentence.