Two men who were racing powerful cars moments before one ploughed into a mother and daughter at almost 90mph, killing them, are facing jail. Hardeep Bhachu, 29, lost control of his Audi TT RS, mounted the pavement and struck Justyna Hulboj, 27, and daughter Lena Czepczor, four, as they walked along Scott Hall Road in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
Bhachu had already admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving. Fellow driver Jasskamal Riyat, 37, was unanimously convicted of the same offences at Leeds Crown Court on Friday (August 28) after a jury found the pair had been racing moments before the fatal crash.
Fatal crash at almost 90mph
Justyna and Lena were on their way to school just after 8.30am on January 16, 2023, when tragedy struck. Bhachu was travelling at almost 90mph on the 40mph road when his Audi hit a kerb, careered onto the pavement close to a Jaguar dealership and killed them both.
Riyat was behind the wheel of a powerful BMW M135i but did not hit Justyna and Lena. Prosecutors successfully argued he was jointly responsible for their deaths because the two strangers had been competing against each other at high speed.
Footage captures the race
Dashcam and mobile phone footage shown during the five-day trial at Leeds Crown Court captured the two drivers alongside each other shortly before the collision. They pulled up side-by-side at traffic lights and spoke through their open windows about the power of their cars. The conversation was captured both on Riyat's phone and Bhachu's dashcam, with prosecutors saying Riyat was "egging him on".
Both drivers then sped away, with Riyat pulling off first before Bhachu put his foot down and followed. Independent witnesses told the jury the pair were "obviously racing". Eventually Bhachu accelerated away from Riyat's BMW. Riyat could be heard laughing on his own phone footage and saying: "Watch this guy let it off. He is gone." Seconds later, Bhachu lost control.
Drivers to be sentenced together
Riyat, of Buckstone Avenue, Moortown, Leeds, continued filming the wrecked Audi as he drove past the scene before carrying on to work. He did not even call the emergency services and was later arrested. During his trial, Riyat accepted he had been speeding, but insisted he was not racing or driving dangerously and was not responsible for Bhachu's actions. Jurors rejected his account and found him guilty of two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
Det Insp Paul Conroy from West Yorkshire Police said: "This was an absolutely horrifying collision that I know even shocked experienced collision investigators. An innocent mother and daughter who were simply making their way to school never made it there and tragically never made it home because of the selfish, reckless actions of these two men."
Bhachu, of Grant Row, Adel, Leeds, had previously pleaded guilty to the same two offences and asked to be remanded into custody to "take responsibility" and "begin serving the inevitable sentence". Riyat was bailed following the verdict and is due back at court on October 26. He was warned that it was "inevitable" he faces a lengthy prison sentence. The two men are due to be sentenced together.
