A young businessman who had a luxury BMW with the private number plate "hi sexy" has been forced to give up both the car and the distinctive plate after he accidentally crashed the vehicle at a set of traffic lights.
Haroon Sharif, 24, hit a VW Polo with his BMW 330d after he was seen "screaming" past other motorists as he raced to see his girlfriend.
He then falsely accused one eyewitness of being racist when he was confronted about his speed in the moments before the collision.
No one was injured in the crash on the A560 in Altrincham, Greater Manchester but both vehicles were severely damaged.
Police discovered an elderly woman who was driving the Polo had pulled out in front of Sharif whilst emerging from a layby.
At Manchester magistrates court Sharif who runs a dessert business in Hale, near Altrincham was accused of "arrogance" and behaving like a character from the Grand Theft Auto game as he was found guilty of careless driving.
He escaped a road ban but admitted he had since sold the car and his private plate 'HI5 EXY' to pay bills due to Covid-related debts. Investigators used Google Maps images to reconstruct the accident.
The crash took place at 7.30pm on June 8 2019 after Sharif who lives in a £1.2m property with his family in Hale Barns was on his way to see his girlfriend in Baguley.
Eyewitness John Yendle said: "I saw a silver BMW approaching at high speed coming off a slip road from the M56 and he was screaming down my right-hand side. His registration plate read 'hi Sexy' and it is a local vehicle that I recognised from the area.
"There was heavy traffic and the BMW was overtaking using the other side of the road.
"The carriageway becomes two lanes and the left-hand lane is for additional flow traffic to turn left.
"At the traffic lights, there were cars in the queue and I was in the right lane 4-5 cars behind the BMW.
"He was the only car in the left lane and when the lights went green he did a dangerous manoeuvre and accelerated ahead and at that point, other cars were beeping him and I was like: "What the?"
"I did not see the BMW again until I heard a loud smash and parts flying across the road. I thought there had been a head-on collision and a fatality.
"The BMW was in absolute pieces about 100 metres further down the road and I tried to give my business card to the lady in the other car. I saw horrendous, atrocious and arrogant driving.
"I would have been even more fuming had my children been in the car.
"This is not GTA [Grand Theft Auto], he is not playing a computer game. I said to Mr Sharif: 'you have f***ing caused that' but I did not use racist language towards him. It is clear who caused the accident."
Another motorist Philip Bibby said: "I was going around 30mph and when another BMW came out of nowhere. he passed me and was going very fast. In front there was a red car indicating and starting to pull out when the BMW shot passed me and clipped the car just on the front right-hand side.
"The red car's wheel was off whilst the BMW stopped around 75 yards further on. He shot past me and I had clear sight of the collision."
Sharif told the hearing: "I was heading back towards my partner's house and I drive that route every day.
"I never overtook anyone and I had been travelling along the road minding my own business when the lady in the red polo pulled out and tried to do a U-Turn.
"There was no way I could get out of the way or stop and it was more or less immediate that the crash happened.
"In my honest opinion, because there was an old lady and a young male involved in the accident, people think I was responsible for what had happened.
"Mr Yendle was extremely aggressive and did not like what had happened. He made racial comments. He was shouting, his body language was bad and he was giving me verbal abuse whilst I was sat in my car. He said 'you stupid f***ing p*** You have done this, look what you have done.'
"He was raging, shouting and pointing his fingers."
Defence lawyer William Magill told the hearing: "Mr Yendle was aware the defendant was a local resident and was aware of him because of his number plate.
"Prior to this, the defendant was a man of good character. He has started up his own desserts business during lockdown and employs three staff.
"However, he has not been able to take a wage from this. He has since sold the car and his vehicle registration plate."
Sharif was also fined £120 plus £342 in costs and was given five penalty points on his licence.
The court heard he was banned from the roads for 12 months in November 2019 after being convicted of drug driving.
JP Philip Bazley said: "We are satisfied of Mr Yendle's evidence that Mr Sharif was overtaking on the other side of the road and on the wrong side of the island. We are also satisfied Mr Bibby witnessed the defendant speeding. Mr Sharif, we do not find you believable."
