A man is accused of murdering a young mother by trapping her against a lamppost with his van during a row on his birthday, after she had visited her baby in hospital, a court has heard.
The Incident
Mohammed Azim is alleged to have killed his 19-year-old girlfriend Lily Whitehouse in Oldbury, West Midlands, on Bonfire Night last year – his 41st birthday. Wolverhampton Crown Court was informed that Azim, a recovery lorry driver, denied murdering Ms Whitehouse by pinning her against a lamppost in Old Park Lane with his Mercedes Sprinter vehicle, inflicting fatal injuries.
The defendant, dressed in a navy suit with a light blue shirt, showed no emotion in the dock while members of Ms Whitehouse's family wiped away tears in the public gallery as prosecution counsel Rachel Brand KC presented their case.
Details of the Case
Ms Brand stated that Ms Whitehouse had been visiting her baby, fathered by another man and born in September 2025, in the neonatal intensive care unit at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley on the evening she was killed. Azim, of Tividale Road in Tipton, and Ms Whitehouse had been in an intermittent relationship since 2023. The defendant, previously married but divorced, had collected her after she disembarked a bus from the hospital.
Instead of driving the victim to her home in Amber Drive, Oldbury, Azim drove past her address and to Old Park Lane. Ms Brand addressed the jury: 'One of the things you will have to consider is why the defendant did that – why did he drive past if he was giving her a lift home, why not drop her off? We say the likelihood is the two were having an argument and that explains why he drove past the road where she lived.'
CCTV Evidence
CCTV footage from a nearby school recorded the sound of Azim's recovery truck idling just beyond the camera's view for approximately 16 minutes before the vehicle comes into sight and Ms Whitehouse is seen walking briskly along the road on the driver's side. 'The defendant is driving the truck as if he was nudging or pushing her along the road,' Ms Brand informed the court. 'Lily started running, the vehicle is pursuing her at a low speed but, nevertheless, we say he was clearly using that large, heavy vehicle as a weapon.'
As the truck disappears from view, a 'large bang' is heard on the CCTV, which the prosecution suggest was the truck striking a lamppost. Ms Brand said: 'We believe she was crushed against a lamppost, perhaps with the driver's door of the truck open at the time.'
Injuries and Aftermath
A Home Office pathologist discovered Ms Whitehouse had sustained injuries predominantly to her right side while in an upright position, including a broken upper arm, fractured ribs, a laceration to her liver and traumatic injuries to her chest, which caused 'severe bleeding' and led to her death. After Ms Whitehouse was injured, it's alleged that Azim lifted her into his truck, dialled 999 and claimed he had witnessed her being struck by a vehicle that failed to stop at the scene.
Parking his truck on nearby Park Street and placing Ms Whitehouse on the pavement, he appeared 'agitated' when police and paramedics arrived. 'He told them they took too long to arrive, and that she was gone. When police spoke to him he gave detailed description about what happened, said he'd seen it happen and wished he had been able to chase the vehicle,' the court heard.
'Paramedics and doctors did all they could to try and save Lily but it became clear they couldn't do so and she was pronounced dead on the pavement. Police thought the defendant's account was odd. He admitted he knew Ms Whitehouse and it seemed to be a strange coincidence that he witnessed a hit and run with someone known to him and picked her up and put her in his truck.'
Arrest and Interview
He was arrested on suspicion of murder. In interview, he said nothing at all about how she came by her injuries. He answered no comment to most questions about his relationship with Lily and how she came by her death. It means police had to do their best to piece together what happened without any assistance from him.'
Ms Brand added: 'The defendant may try to suggest she fell to the ground and he accidentally ran her over. We suggest that cannot be true considering the loud banging noise that is heard. That is the truck impacting with something hard, not the sound of a truck hitting a slightly built woman who was 5ft 3in and less than seven stone.'
'We say it is highly significant that the defendant chose to pick up Lily Whitehouse and put her in his truck. Instead of simply calling the emergency services to come to the place where she was injured, he wanted to distance himself and her from the place it happened.'
'Within minutes he was lying. To prove the charge of murder we have to satisfy you that when the defendant caused those fatal injuries, he either intended to kill her or at the very least, intended to cause her very serious injury.'
'We say you will be sure the defendant is guilty of murder. Any person who deliberately drives a large, heavy truck at a person and either pins them up against a lamppost or runs them over can only have intended to cause at least really serious harm.'
She added: 'Actions speak louder than words, we say. Regretting it afterwards is not a defence.' The trial, which is anticipated to last two weeks before High Court judge Mr Justice Murray, continues.
