A man murdered a young mother by pinning her against a lamppost with his truck during an argument on his birthday after she had visited their baby in hospital, a court has heard.
Prosecution Case
Mohammed Azim, 41, 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 told. Azim, a recovery truck driver who was assisted in the dock by a Mirpuri interpreter but speaks 'reasonably good' English, denies murdering Ms Whitehouse by crushing her against a lamppost in Old Park Lane with his Mercedes Sprinter vehicle, causing fatal injuries.
The defendant, wearing a navy suit with a pale blue shirt, showed no reaction in the dock while members of Ms Whitehouse's family wiped tears in the public gallery as prosecution counsel Rachel Brand KC outlined their case.
Events Leading to the Death
Ms Brand said 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 on-off relationship since 2023. The defendant, previously married but divorced, picked her up after she got off 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 told 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? We say the likelihood is the two were having an argument.'
CCTV from a nearby school with audio captured the sound of Azim's recovery truck idling for about 16 minutes before the truck came into view and Ms Whitehouse was seen walking quickly 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 said. '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 went out of view, a 'large bang' was heard on the CCTV, which the prosecution suggests was the truck striking a lamppost. 'We believe she was crushed against a lamppost, perhaps with the driver's door of the truck open at the time,' Ms Brand said.
Injuries and Aftermath
A Home Office pathologist found Ms Whitehouse had suffered 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 chest injuries causing 'severe bleeding' leading to her death.
After Ms Whitehouse was injured, Azim allegedly picked her up, put her in his truck, and dialled 999, claiming he had seen her hit by a vehicle that did not stop. Stopping his truck in nearby Park Street and placing Ms Whitehouse on the pavement, he was 'agitated' when police and paramedics arrived. 'He told them they took too long to arrive, and that she was gone,' Ms Brand said. 'He gave a detailed description about what happened, said he'd seen it happen and wished he had been able to chase the vehicle.'
Paramedics and doctors could not save her, and she was pronounced dead on the pavement. Police found the defendant's account 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,' Ms Brand said.
Azim was arrested on suspicion of murder. In interview, he answered 'no comment' to most questions. 'It means police had to do their best to piece together what happened without any assistance from him,' Ms Brand added.
Defence and Trial
Ms Brand said: '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 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.'
She added: '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 the place where she was injured, he wanted to distance himself and her from the place it happened.'
To prove murder, the prosecution must satisfy the jury that when the defendant caused those fatal injuries, he either intended to kill her or cause very serious injury. 'Any person who deliberately drives a large, heavy truck at a person and either pins them against a lamppost or runs them over can only have intended to cause at least really serious harm,' Ms Brand said. 'Actions speak louder than words. Regretting it afterwards is not a defence.'
The trial, expected to last two weeks in front of High Court judge Mr Justice Murray, continues.
