A 27-year-old pharmacist who drove dangerously and caused a head-on crash in the Cotswolds has been spared a prison term because it would have cost him his career.

Gloucester Crown Court heard on Friday (April 1) that 'highly respected pharmacist' Hasan Ahmed of Twycross Grove, Birmingham, was driving his BMW in heavy traffic at around 8.15pm on the A429 Stow Road in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, on August 26, 2021, when he committed the offence.

Prosecutor Nicola Wood said "He had been stuck behind a slow moving truck for some time and this caused him some irritation.

"He attempted to overtake the vehicle on solid double solid white lines - which also happened to be on a blind bend on the brow of a hill - so that he could not see what was coming towards him and he collided with a Fiat being driven by Timothy Calvert, who was travelling southbound.

"The court was told that Ahmed initially attended to Mr Calvert's injuries at the scene until the emergency services arrived, when he admitted his guilt to the police.

Mr Calvert was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with a broken nose, fractured cheek bone, broken arm, fractured wrist and broken ribs.

The judge Recorder Neil Millard said: "This was an example of absolutely stupid driving but Ahmed appears to be hard working and I note that a custodial sentence would end his career as a pharmacist."

Zarif Khan, defending said: "Ahmed is very ashamed of his driving. To his credit, he assisted Mr Calvert at the scene of the accident. He also admits that he exposed numerous road users to danger.

"He immediately admitted his offending to the police on their arrival.

"Ahmed works six days a week and will prioritise any punishment imposed by the court around his work commitments."

Ahmed pleaded guilty to driving dangerously on August 26, 2021 in Cirencester.

Recorder Millard told Ahmed: "You admitted your guilt when you were arrested following your collision.

"I have read a lot about you and it is quite clear to me that you are not just of good character, but of exemplary character.

"You explained that you had been following a truck that had been travelling slowly that irritated you and you made the decision to overtake on double white solid lines on a brow of a hill and you couldn't see what was approaching.

"It was no surprise that a collision occurred and the victim sustained serious. This was incredibly stupid. It was incredibly foolish manoeuvre to embark on which resulted in an entirely innocent man sustaining serious injury.

"However, you have accepted that you made a stupid mistake, despite the consequences it might have on your professional life.

"This was an incident involving excessive speed. I accept this was an isolated incident.

"I note that a custodial sentence of any sort would affectively mean you would lose your career. That would not only be a loss to you, but a loss to the wider community.

"Everything I have read about you tells me this was a genuine mistake that lasted for just a few seconds with terrible consequences.

"I am therefore sentencing you to a 12-month community order, which includes undertaking 150 hours of unpaid work. I have taken an exceptional course in sentencing you today [April 1]. I hope you have learnt your lesson. "

Ahmed was also banned for driving for 18 months and ordered to pay court costs of £425.