A Bradford woman has been jailed for 10 years after killing her 20-year-old friend when she crashed a rented Lamborghini while driving at what a court described as “eye-watering speeds” on the M62.
Humaira Batool, now 26, of Smiddles Lane, Bankfoot, was sentenced after being convicted in September of causing the death of Mohammed Shaan Hussain by dangerous driving.
The fatal collision happened in the early hours of December 21, 2022, between junctions 22 and 23 of the M62 near Ripponden.
Batool, who was 22 at the time, had swapped places with Mr Hussain so she could drive the high-performance car, which he had hired to collect a friend from HMP Leeds.
Lamborghini Reached 143mph
Mr Hussain had collected Batool from her home at around 4am before the pair travelled on the motorway.
The court heard that shortly before the crash the Lamborghini reached speeds of up to 143mph while being driven in wet conditions.
Seconds after passing Scott Hall Farm, commonly known as the “house in the middle of the motorway”, the car struck a barrier, overturned and burst into flames.
It had been travelling at around 127mph shortly before the collision.
Passing Drivers Tried To Save Mr Hussain
Motorists who had recently been overtaken by the Lamborghini stopped after the crash and attempted to rescue those inside.
Mr Hussain remained trapped in the burning vehicle, but efforts to reach him were prevented by the intensity of the fire and a subsequent explosion.
Batool was later found on a grass verge close to the motorway by another group of witnesses.
Batool Initially Said She Had Been A Passenger
Following the crash, Batool initially told police that she had been asleep in the passenger seat and woke when the vehicle began to roll.
However, jurors were shown footage of Batool getting out of the passenger side of the Lamborghini at traffic lights in Bradford, walking around the vehicle and getting into the driver’s seat while Mr Hussain moved across.
The court heard that she did not disclose the change of driver until she was confronted with the video evidence.
Claimed Friend Had Triggered A ‘Boost’
After accepting that she had been driving, Batool put forward a different explanation for the collision.
During her trial she claimed Mr Hussain had interfered with the Lamborghini’s controls and activated a “boost”, causing the vehicle to surge.
The prosecution described her attempt to shift responsibility onto Mr Hussain as “distasteful”.
The jury rejected her account and convicted her of causing death by dangerous driving.
Sentencing Delayed After Hospital Admission
Batool had been due to be sentenced earlier in the week but did not attend court after being admitted to hospital following what was described as a flare-up of endometriosis symptoms.
Prosecuting barrister Christopher Dunn described the circumstances as “clearly a ruse” to avoid attending court, and His Honour Judge Rachim Singh issued a warrant for her arrest.
Batool subsequently appeared for sentencing.
Judge Says Death Was ‘Entirely Avoidable’
Judge Singh sentenced Batool to 10 years in prison and told her that Mr Hussain’s death had been entirely avoidable.
He said a young man who should have had decades of life ahead of him had lost everything within seconds, leaving his family to deal with the consequences.
Batool was also disqualified from driving for five years, with a further five-year extension to the ban.
Family Describes Mohammed As ‘Heartbeat Of This Home’
In a statement read to the court, Mr Hussain’s mother, Nasreen, described her son as “the heartbeat of this home”.
She said his death had broken the family in ways they could not put into words and described him as a beloved son, cherished brother and loyal friend who had his whole life ahead of him.
Police Warn Of Risks Of High-Performance Cars
Detective Inspector Paul Conroy, of West Yorkshire Police’s Major Collision Enquiry Team, said Batool’s driving had placed both herself and other motorway users at serious risk.
He said anyone driving a vehicle must accept responsibility for controlling something capable of causing devastation if handled irresponsibly, particularly when driving a high-performance car.
Police said Batool’s actions had resulted in the death of a young man and left his family facing a lifetime of loss.
