Two Leeds men convicted over deaths of mother and daughter in Scott Hall Road racing crash

Hardeep Bhachu and Jasskamal Riyat were found guilty of causing the deaths of Justyna Hulboj, 27, and her four-year-old daughter Lena by dangerous driving in January 2023.

Two Leeds drivers convicted over street-racing deaths of mother and child

Google News UK — Crime (en) reports that two men have been convicted of causing the deaths of a mother and her four-year-old daughter after racing their cars at excessive speeds along a busy Leeds dual carriageway.

Hardeep Bhachu, 29, of Grant Row, Adel, Leeds, pleaded guilty in June 2024 to causing the deaths of Justyna Hulboj, 27, and her daughter Lena Czepczor by dangerous driving. Jasskamal Riyat, 37, of Buckstone Avenue, Moortown, Leeds, was found guilty following a trial at Leeds Crown Court of two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

Shortly after 8.30am on 16 January 2023, Bhachu lost control of the white Audi TT he was driving on Scott Hall Road and struck Justyna and Lena as they walked to school. The car then collided with the wall of the Vertu Jaguar Leeds car dealership. Both died at the scene.

Bhachu was taken to hospital for injuries sustained in the collision and was subsequently arrested. Riyat, identified as the driver of a black BMW 135i that Bhachu had been racing immediately before the crash, was arrested that same afternoon.

Dashcam footage from Bhachu's own vehicle captured a conversation between the two men at traffic lights shortly before the collision, in which Bhachu boasted that his Audi had 560 horsepower and that he had been driving at only a quarter of its throttle capacity. Police also gathered dashcam and CCTV footage submitted by members of the public, which proved decisive in establishing the dangerous nature of both men's driving.

Bhachu has been remanded in custody since his guilty plea, with sentencing adjourned pending the conclusion of Riyat's trial.

Detective Inspector Paul Conroy, of West Yorkshire Police's Major Collision Enquiry Team, said the crash had shocked even experienced collision investigators. "An innocent mother and daughter who were simply making their way to school never made it there and tragically never made it home because of the selfish, reckless actions of these two men," he said.

Conroy confirmed the two drivers had no prior connection. "Bhachu and Riyat didn't know each other. They were two men showing off their fast cars on a busy dual carriageway."

Riyat did not stop after the collision. "He witnessed this collision but instead of stopping to check if those involved were okay, he left the scene," Conroy said. "He denied his involvement but was convicted thanks to the extensive footage showing his speeding vehicle in the moments leading up to the collision."

West Yorkshire Police has released video footage capturing the moments before the crash. Conroy described it as upsetting to watch but said he hoped it would prompt drivers to reflect on their own behaviour. "Ultimately, Bhachu thought he could drive at those speeds in his high-powered car, but he couldn't, and his loss of control took two lives and ruined many more."

The fiancé of Justyna Hulboj and father of Lena Czepczor issued a statement describing the morning of 16 January 2023 as the moment his world collapsed. "Before that day, my life was a fulfilment of my deepest dreams," he said. "I had a good job, a wonderful fiancée Justyna and a wonderful daughter Lena."

He described saying goodbye to his family that morning with the words "I love you", unaware it would be the last time he saw them. "When I was informed about their deaths, my whole world collapsed in one second."

He said he continued to imagine what life would be like had they survived. "We had so many plans and dreams and in one moment it all ended. I know that I will have to live with the burden of losing the two most important people in my life for the rest of my life."

His statement concluded: "My dream was to have a wonderful family, and I must say that it came true for a short while, but that was taken away from me on the 16th of January. All that remains are wonderful memories and a constant fight for the next day, which is not easy."

Both men are due to be sentenced at a later date.

Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)