Manchester driver and passenger jailed over 139mph fatal crash on Kingsway

Uways Hussain and Usmon Mahmood were jailed for causing the death of Sylvester Abayomi in a 139mph crash in Manchester. The passenger conviction is among the first of its kind nationally.

Manchester pair jailed after 139mph crash kills commuter on his way to work

A driver and his passenger have been jailed after filming themselves speeding at 139mph (223.7kmh) in a 30mph zone before fatally striking a man travelling to work, bbc.com reports.

Uways Hussain, 20, of Marley Road, Manchester, was sentenced to 11 years and eight months for causing death by dangerous driving. Usmon Mahmood, 23, of Buller Road, Manchester — who owned the VW Golf GTI involved — received 12 years and nine months for aiding and abetting causing death by dangerous driving.

The pair had filmed themselves inhaling nitrous oxide from a balloon, running red lights and weaving through traffic on Manchester's Kingsway in the early hours of 9 March before striking 50-year-old Sylvester Abayomi, who had pulled on to the road on a green light at around 04:36 GMT. He had been on his way to work.

The car was travelling at 139mph in the seconds before impact. Sentencing at Manchester Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Dean described the collision as "wholly unnecessary and entirely avoidable". "It was a sustained, deliberate and escalating course of highly dangerous conduct over a prolonged period," he said. "It was terrifying."

Following the crash, Hussain's Apple Watch automatically called 999 after detecting a collision. Unaware the call was being recorded, the pair discussed calling an Uber to leave the scene and reporting the car as stolen. Judge Dean called the transcript of that call "chilling". "It doesn't reveal shock or concern for the victim," he said. Both men subsequently fled on foot when officers tracked them down, before being arrested.

Abayomi's partner, Denise Doyle, addressed the defendants directly in her victim impact statement. "Sylvester was simply on his way to work," she said. "An ordinary hard-working man. He should have returned home to me safely that day. Because of your actions he never did." She added: "You left Sylv to die alone. You did not show him even a shred of compassion or humanity." Doyle described Abayomi as "the most caring soul and gentle person you could ever meet."

Greater Manchester Police said the crash was "one of the worst disregards of speeding" officers had seen. Detective Sergeant Thomas Johnson said the case was "one of the most extreme cases of dangerous driving we have encountered" and that the actions of Hussain and Mahmood had "tragically resulted in the loss of Sylvester's life." GMP said the sentences were believed to be among the highest handed down for a death by dangerous driving offence involving a single fatality.

The force also noted it was "one of the first times nationally where a passenger has been convicted for aiding and abetting causing death by dangerous driving."

Hussain admitted causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving whilst uninsured, and failing to provide a specimen. He had indicated a guilty plea at magistrates' court, at an earlier stage in proceedings than Mahmood. His defence counsel, Neil Ronan, noted that Hussain — who had a previous conviction for drug-driving — had been a law student working full-time at an airport. Mahmood later admitted aiding and abetting causing death by dangerous driving and aiding and abetting causing death by driving whilst uninsured. His barrister, Clare Ashcroft, said he had been about to begin an apprenticeship with Network Rail and was "starting to understand the impact of his behaviour."

Prosecutor Rachel Shenton said the pair had left the scene and run from officers before being arrested.

Det Sgt Johnson said GMP hoped the outcome would offer "some measure of justice" to Abayomi's loved ones, urging the public to report dangerous driving behaviour to police.

Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)