A killer driver who caused a devastating 100mph crash that killed two people has been jailed after prosecutors used mobile phone data for the first time in UK legal history to prove his excessive speed.
Case Details
Bilal Tahir, 29, from Welling, London, initially denied any wrongdoing but later pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison at the Old Bailey on Friday, June 5, and banned from driving for 16 years.
The tragic incident occurred on the morning of October 17, 2022, on the M20 motorway near West Kingsdown, Kent. Heavy rain had caused standing water on the carriageway. Dr Habiba Hajallie lost control of her vehicle, which aquaplaned and ended up on the hard shoulder facing the wrong direction. Lisa Webber, a mother of three, and Mark Heap stopped to help her. All three were standing on the hard shoulder when Tahir's black BMW X5 ploughed into them.
Dr Hajallie and Ms Webber were pronounced dead at the scene, while Mr Heap was critically injured and rushed to hospital.
Investigation Breakthrough
Roadside tests for intoxication and impairment were conducted at the scene, which Tahir passed, and he was released under investigation. In a voluntary interview in November 2022, he claimed he was driving with due care and attention and insisted he had not been speeding.
However, officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit used vehicle data from the airbag control module and mobile phone data to prove otherwise. The phone data, analysed by an expert who described it as accurate and reliable, showed that Tahir had continuously been speeding throughout his journey and had hit speeds of more than 100mph within a mile of the incident. Five seconds before the collision, he was travelling at 98mph and likely lost control after hitting standing water.
Legal Significance
Moses Koroma, Senior Crown Prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service, stated: 'The Crown Prosecution Service had to demonstrate clearly that the defendant had been speeding in dangerous weather conditions. Without CCTV evidence, we used data from the car itself and the defendant's mobile phone. The phone evidence gave us very accurate speed, location, time and date recorded every second leading up to the collision and left the defendant with no option but to plead guilty.'
Detective Constable Jim Galbraith, the investigating officer, added: 'The deaths of Dr Habiba Hajallie and Lisa Webber, and the significant injuries to Mark Heap are a tragedy caused by the actions of one dangerous driver. Bilal Tahir was speeding recklessly in appalling weather conditions where visibility was poor and rain was pooling on the carriageway. He failed to recognise the significant risk he posed to other road users and has devastated multiple lives.'
Witness Accounts
Eyewitnesses described Tahir as being 'brave' to drive so fast given the weather, with one noting his vehicle hit a patch of standing water. Tahir originally told police he thought another car had hit him, but accident investigation found no evidence of any other vehicle involvement.
The successful use of mobile phone data in this case marks a significant milestone in UK legal proceedings, demonstrating how technology can provide crucial evidence in road traffic incidents where traditional methods may be insufficient.
