Mohammed Azim, a 41-year-old recovery lorry driver, has been sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison for murdering his 19-year-old girlfriend, Lily Whitehouse, by crushing her against a lamppost with his vehicle. The incident occurred on November 5 last year, which was also Azim's 41st birthday, in Oldbury, West Midlands.
Details of the crime
Azim used his Mercedes Sprinter van as a weapon during an argument with Whitehouse, who had just visited her premature baby in a neonatal intensive care unit. The baby, fathered by another man, was five weeks old at the time. The collision inflicted fatal chest trauma on Whitehouse, pinning her against a lamppost on Old Park Lane.
Following the incident, Azim lifted Whitehouse into his vehicle and called emergency services, falsely claiming she had been struck by a hit-and-run driver. He then moved the van to Park Street and placed her on the pavement before paramedics arrived. Police found his account suspicious and arrested him on suspicion of murder.
Trial and sentencing
At Wolverhampton Crown Court, Azim was convicted of murder by a majority verdict of 10 to 2 after a two-week trial. Jurors deliberated for just six hours. Sentencing on Monday, Judge Mr Justice Murray stated: 'Your decision to kill Lily was spontaneous, but you would have been aware she had a five-week-old baby still in hospital. The baby has lost her mother forever at the very beginning of her life.'
The judge noted that while Azim may not have intended to kill, he intended to cause really serious harm. 'I cannot be sure you formed an intention to kill Lily when you hit her with your truck. I sentence on a basis that your intention was to cause her really serious harm,' he said.
Relationship background
The court heard that Azim and Whitehouse had an intermittent relationship since 2023, when she was 17. The judge described Whitehouse as 'psychologically vulnerable' due to her troubled background and 'very needy and dependent' on Azim. Correspondence revealed she was 'strongly attached' to him and 'volatile and extremely needy'. Azim, who was 22 years older, was described as 'supportive and kind' much of the time but 'at times aggressive'.
Azim arrived in the UK from Pakistan in 2001 at age 14, learned English while working in takeaways, and married in 2007 but separated in 2015. He had prior convictions for cannabis possession, tobacco duty evasion, and battery in 2012.
Victim impact statements
Whitehouse's cousin Katie told the court: 'Lily died in tragic and horrific circumstances. We find ourselves asking questions that can never be answered – what were her last thoughts and words when her killer crushed her with his truck? These thoughts haunt us daily.'
Her aunt Melissa Wheeler said: 'You were meant to love her, but you killed her. I hope you spend the rest of your life knowing what you did to Lily. What you did was so far from caring. The way you treated her afterwards is just as painful as how you killed her. She had no dignity and no privacy in those moments.'
Defence arguments
Imran Shafi KC, representing Azim, acknowledged the 'devastating loss of a young life' and said the offence was 'spontaneous', with intention formed 'seconds before the act'. He noted the van was driven at relatively low speed in a public place, and Azim immediately sought help. Shafi admitted Azim's lies about the incident were 'unattractive' but had limited impact on the investigation.
The judge confirmed the 227 days Azim has already spent on remand will be deducted from his minimum 20-year term.
