A woman has been jailed for a decade after driving a hired Lamborghini at 143mph on the M62 before crashing and killing her friend, who she falsely blamed for the incident.
Humaira Batool, 26, was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving following the collision in the early hours of 21 December 2022, which claimed the life of Mohammed Shaan Hussain, 20, known as Shaan to loved ones.
Crash Details and False Claims
Leeds Crown Court heard that Shaan had originally been driving and had collected Batool, but the pair exchanged seats before the crash. In the aftermath, Batool falsely alleged that Shaan had caused the incident by tampering with buttons in the car, activating a "boost" to the vehicle's speed.
In reality, Batool had been driving at up to 143mph before colliding with a barrier, causing the car to flip and burst into flames. Shaan died in the blaze. Batool's seatbelt, entangled around her, was scorched by the fire, but she escaped and was found on a grass verge with burns to roughly 10 per cent of her body and a shattered tibia.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Prosecutor Christopher Dunn told the court that "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."
The court heard Batool had a prior conviction for driving without insurance and had previously had her licence revoked, though her barrister Richard Dawson described it as a "miscommunication" regarding her insurance arrangements with her father. She passed her driving test again in December 2021.
Sentencing Batool, His Honour Judge Ray Singh said Shaan would have survived the crash but was trapped. He stated: "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."
Family Impact Statements
Shaan's mother, Nasreen Akhtar, told the court: "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." She added: "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."
Shaan's brother, Mohammed Hussain, said: "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."
In mitigation, Mr Dawson said Batool had been "deeply affected by his loss of her friend given the circumstances of his death." He noted she was only 22 at the time and had sustained significant injuries, having been trapped in the car until flames burned through her seatbelt.
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."
