A man has been jailed for six years after forcibly putting his partner into a car in Peterborough and driving recklessly to evade police, leaving the woman injured after a crash.
Incident and pursuit
Cambridgeshire police say the episode began at about 3pm on 5 February when Aamir Mahmood, 33, grabbed his partner and dragged her into a vehicle in Thorpe Road. A nearby resident heard the victim screaming and checked on her welfare; when she indicated she was not okay, Mahmood told the resident she was fine and drove off, police added.
- Officers located the car, a Volkswagen Golf, in Princes Street around 20 minutes later and signalled for it to stop.
- Mahmood allegedly ignored police directions and sped away, carrying out dangerous overtakes on narrow residential streets and coming close to collisions with other vehicles.
- During the pursuit he is reported to have told the victim he would "drive into a wall on your side so you die first" if they crashed.
- The vehicle later collided with another car at the junction of Park Road and Princes Street; Mahmood fled but was arrested on foot shortly afterwards.
Legal outcome and victim care
Mahmood, of Huntly Grove, Peterborough, admitted offences of false imprisonment and dangerous driving at Peterborough Crown Court on 17 July. He was sentenced to six years in prison and disqualified from driving. The victim sustained minor injuries and was taken to Peterborough City Hospital.
| Offence | Outcome |
|---|---|
| False imprisonment | Guilty plea, custodial sentence |
| Dangerous driving | Guilty plea, disqualified from driving |
| Sentence length | Six years |
Police comment and community reaction
“This was a terrifying ordeal for the victim, who was forcibly taken against her will and was then powerless as Mahmood put her at great risk by driving so dangerously. Mahmood selfishly showed a complete disregard for her safety, the safety of other road users and the officers trying to stop him,”
The statement, attributed to Detective Constable Joshua Crown who led the investigation, praised the swift actions of bystanders and officers that brought Mahmood into custody.
The case has drawn attention locally to the dangers posed by incidents that spill onto public roads and the role neighbours can play in reporting distress. The involvement of firearms officers during the initial location of the vehicle underscores the seriousness with which police treated the incident.
Practical information for residents
Police advise anyone who witnesses or suspects someone is being forced into a vehicle, or hears evidence of a struggle, to call 999 immediately and to provide as much detail as possible about vehicle make, registration, direction of travel and descriptions of those involved. For non-emergencies the force’s standard contact number remains the appropriate route.
This prosecution and sentence will be noted by local criminal justice agencies and victim support services; those affected by similar incidents can contact local support services via NHS or council directories for advice on medical and emotional aftercare.
Reporting by InfoRadar emphasises the impact on neighbours and bystanders in Peterborough who intervened, and the risks to the wider community when offences of this kind are committed on residential streets.
