A MAN who sped through a red light and caused a crash on an Ipswich road was today handed a six month suspended sentence.Ipswich Crown Court heard Mohammed Chowdhury, was travelling in excess of the speed limit when he went through a red light on London Road on January 25, this year.

A MAN who sped through a red light and caused a crash on an Ipswich road was today handed a six month suspended sentence.

Ipswich Crown Court heard Mohammed Chowdhury, was travelling in excess of the speed limit when he went through a red light on London Road on January 25, this year.

Stephen Spence prosecuting said the lights had been red “for at least 10 seconds” when Chowdhury, travelling up to 60 miles an hour in a 40 limit ignored the signal.

A car with the proper right of way had to take “avoiding action” and collided with a central reservation.

Chowdhury initially denied dangerous driving but pleaded guilty to the offence when the case went to court.

He had previously been convicted of drink driving in August this year and was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Colin Hart, defending, said Chowdhury had experienced “a number of difficulties in his personal and working life”.

Judge Peter Thompson said the offence was so serious it merited a custodial sentence. He said: “Only recently there was a death as a result of dangerous driving a few hundred yards further along that road where someone was killed and another person was seriously injured.

“I'm well aware of the risks of that road and I take such a serious view.”

Judge Thompson sentenced Chowdhury, 26, of Elderberry Gardens, Witham, to a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years as well as an 18-month supervision order and participation in the Think First programme.

He also disqualified Chowdhury from driving for three years. “I just hope you do stay away from offending and this is sufficient incentive to do so,” he said.

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