Unlicensed drink-driver who was three times over the limit when he crashed his car avoids jail after court hears he has re-found Islam

• Asif Masood, 40, ploughed friend's Ford Focus into Nottingham hydrant
• Police arrived and he said: 'I've had lots to drink and don't have a licence'
• He had 98 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath -  legal limit is 35 
• Masood, who has nine previous convictions, was given ban and a fine
• Magistrates heard how he had re-found Islam and has given up alcohol

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Walking free: Asif Masood, 40, ploughed a Ford Focus into a fire hydrant in Nottingham following a drinking binge but avoided jail after a court heard he had re-found Islam

An unlicensed drink-driver who was three times over the limit when he crashed a friend's car has walked free after a court heard he had re-found Islam and was living a more pious life.

Asif Masood, 40, ploughed a Ford Focus into a fire hydrant in Nottingham after driving over a roundabout following a drinking binge on November 17 last year.

The car’s wheel had come off, while tyre tracks and debris criss-crossed the road, magistrates heard.

When police arrived he was found swaying near his wrecked vehicle and told officers: 'I've crashed my car, I've had lots and lots to drink and I don't have a driving licence.'

He was breathalysed and produced a reading of 98 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35.

But Masood, who has nine previous convictions for 14 offences, walked free from court after magistrates heard he had re-found his faith and was now teetotal after quitting drink and drugs

His solicitor added that the incident happened when Masood had been suffering 'considerable stress related to harassment and threats'. 

As a result chairman of the bench Martin Rudge sentenced Masood to a 25-month driving ban and fined him £350 with £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Magistrates do have the power to impose sentences of up to six months in prison. 

Mr Rudge said: 'We have taken into account your guilty plea and the fact you made no attempts to escape from the incident.'

Prosecutor Sanjay Jerath told the court: 'At 1am police officers attended a road traffic collision and the defendant was stood near a Ford Focus and there was extensive damage to the vehicle.

'Tyre tracks could be seen across the island heading from the direction of Broxtowe Lane towards the location of the car.

'A fire hydrant was knocked over and the front wheel of the car came off the car and there was debris across the road.'

The court heard he had a string of convictions including failing to provide a specimen for analysis in 2004 and he was made subject to a community order for another matter in May last year.

Rob Keel, defending, said the offence was one his client was 'deeply ashamed and embarrassed about'.

Mr Keel added: 'It was a vehicle he borrowed and he fully accepts drinking a considerable amount of alcohol.'

'Fortuitously no other parties were involved - he simply drove over a roundabout and knocked over a fire hydrant.'

'He tells me he has found his faith again, he is a practising Muslim, and he has moved away from Nottingham and the negative influences and issues that were dragging him down.

'He is also drink and drug-free.'

Would Asif Masood have received this leniency if he had announced that he had converted to Christianity? Of course not. But probably what clinched the deal for him was that he claimed that he had been subjected to “harassment and threats.” In today’s Abject Britannia, that is the gold standard. Asif Masood has suffered from “Islamophobia”! Kill for him the fatted calf!