Humaira Batool, 26, has been jailed for 10 years for causing the death of her friend Mohammed Shaan Hussain, 20, in a 143mph Lamborghini crash on the M62. Leeds Crown Court heard how Batool, then 22, was driving the hired supercar when it struck a barrier and rolled, bursting into flames in the early hours of December 21, 2022.
Shaan, known to those close to him, died in the blaze after being trapped inside the vehicle. The pair had planned to collect a pal from HMP Leeds, and had exchanged seats before the fatal incident. In the aftermath, Batool falsely claimed Shaan had caused the crash by pressing buttons in the car, triggering a 'boost' to its speed. But footage exposed her lies and captured the moment they swapped seats.
Reckless driving at 143mph
Prosecutor Christopher Dunn stated during the trial, at the end of which Batool was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving, 'her case was that it was his fault pushing buttons causing those speeds'. He added: "She was travelling at speeds well in excess of over 100mph, sometimes up to 143mph in the pitch black in the outer lane on the M62.
"It is quite clear that this defendant was totally in control throughout and that was conspicuously obvious from the overlapping of the data and camera footage that showed if she slowed down for speed cameras and negotiating bends and then sped up, indicating a decision to disregard the rules of the road and the risk of danger to others.
"This was a prolonged, persistent, deliberate and dangerous driving. It took place on a stretch of public road and it was clearly deliberate and persistent and was found to be by the jury's verdict."
Family's heartbreak and victim impact
Batool's seatbelt, which had become trapped, was burned through by the fire, allowing her to escape. She was subsequently discovered on a grass verge suffering serious injuries, including burns to approximately 10 per cent of her body and a shattered tibia.
Shaan's mother, Nasreen Akhtar, delivered a heartbreaking victim impact statement to the court, saying: "My son was the heartbeat of the home. He was just 20, with his whole life ahead of him, with dreams in his heart and so much left to give."
"Every day has been a struggle. When he died that future died with him. The loss of our son has taken an enormous toll on our entire family and his death has affected each of us in different ways, but none of us have been able to return to the life we had before he was taken from us.
"We have had to live for four years with the grief of losing our son and brother while waiting for it to reach its conclusion. Since that day, our world has stopped. We wake up and he's not there. We look for him, call his name and then remember and the pain comes all over again every single day.
"Instead of being allowed to mourn, we feel we have had to listen to others blame him, tarnish his name. It has stolen our peace and made it feel as though we must defend him rather than remember his life."
Sentencing and police response
Shaan's brother, Mohammed Hussain, told the court that people frequently approach him to share memories of Shaan's generosity and willingness to support those around him. In his victim impact statement he said: "Since losing him our lives have been incredibly difficult.
"His absence is not something that has become easier with time, it is something we are reminded of every single day. He was only 20 when his life was taken away. His life should have been spoken about in terms of what was supposed to come, not how it was.
"What makes us proud is the person he was... There were attempts to tarnish his name but his character doesn't need defending. The life he lives speaks for him."
In mitigation, Batool's barrister Richard Dawson explained that Shaan and Batool had grown up together and their families were close. He stated she had been 'deeply affected by his loss of her friend given the circumstances of his death'. The court was told that Batool suffers from a range of health conditions, including mental health difficulties, endometriosis, PTSD, anxiety and a history of suicide ideation.
As he handed Batool, now 26, a ten-year custodial sentence, His Honour Judge Ray Singh stated that Shaan would have survived the crash had he not been trapped inside the vehicle. He told the court: "Evidence showed he survived for a time after the collision and was alive for a time trapped in the vehicle.
"Death came afterwards, when he remained unable to escape. That is a truly dreadful way for any human being to die. The tragedy in this case is not only for the fact that life was lost, but that it was entirely avoidable. The sole cause was your deliberate decision to drive that vehicle at that extraordinary speed."
Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Paul Conroy of the Major Collision Enquiry Team, said: "We welcome the sentencing of Batool for the incredibly dangerous driving she engaged in on 21 December 2022. Her actions caused the death of a young man in the prime of his life, devastating his family and leaving them facing a lifetime of loss.
"When any of us get behind the wheel we need to accept the responsibility of controlling a machine which can cause devastation if not handled responsibly. This especially applies when handling a car of the nature Batool drove that evening. Her driving put herself and anyone near her on the motorway at risk and it sadly resulted in the tragedy we have seen in this case."
