A MUM was left fearing for her life after a thief stole her car with her child inside, just as went to pick up dinner.
Sarah Chetwynd had left her Vauxhall Crossland for just minutes before her son, 15, and her nephew were ordered out of the car.
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Drugged-up Tahir Mahmood, 41, yelled at the 15-year-old boy to “get the f*** out,” threatening to drive off with him last September, a court in Wolverhampton heard.
Her son and nephew immediately got out the car, terrified they would be kidnapped, leaving the boy in tears.
Sarah ran out to see what was happening as Mahmood sped off, even running into her and knocking her over as she tried to stop him.
Bombing down the road, he crashed into an Audi A4 with such force it span and ended up facing in the wrong direction.
Mahmood fled the scene following the smash, but after being pointed out by a passerby, he was arrested.
He tried to kick and threaten police as his behaviour became “abusive and aggressive” towards police, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
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In a statement, as reported by the Stoke Sentinel, Ms Chetwynd said: “It initially left me fearing for my life.
“I’m scared this will cause me post-traumatic stress in the future.”
For her son, the trauma on the assault caused his asthma symptoms to flare and triggered a panic attack.
Jurors heard that Mahmood returned to drug use after the breakdown of his marriage and took the vehicle “intending to crash”.
He had 14 convictions for 48 offences, most of them driving-related.
Judge Rhona Campbell told him: “You got into that car and drove away, swearing and shouting. They left the vehicle in a state of significant upset and distress.
“You collided into Ms Chetwynd without any slowing or stopping. She was knocked to the ground.”
In a previous offence months earlier, Mahmood torched a Volkswagen Passat, even getting his daughter to fill up a petrol can for him for the senseless act.
The car was recently bought for £800.
Mahmood admitted to arson, aggravated vehicle taking, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of assault on an emergency worker, driving without insurance and failing to stop.
As well as being jailed for five years, he has been banned from driving for at least two years.
