Shameless hit and run driver who killed pregnant woman's unborn baby jailed
Ashir Shahid, 20, hit Ranju Joseph as she used a pedestrian crossing in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire, while on her way to work in September last year. Moments later, shameless Shahid was singing along to the song "It Wasn't Me" by Shaggy as he drove off and tried to hide the evidence of a damage windscreen.
Video clips from inside the car recorded both before the crash and after showed the 20-year-old's erratic driving. Shahid and his front seat passenger filmed the clips on their mobile phones and show him driving at speeds of up to 71mph through Preston and South Ribble. In another the passenger is sitting on the front passenger door window, with most of his body outside the car.
Judge Ian Unsworth KC said Shahid's acceleration in the moments before the crash was "akin to what you may see on a Formula 1 race track".
He said: "Your driving was nothing less than appalling. You engaged in a prolonged and persistent course of dangerous driving. Your speed was significantly in excess of the speed limit and was highly inappropriate for the prevailing road conditions. Olive's life lasted five hours and 38 minutes. He did not live to see dawn. His mother never saw him alive. His life was snubbed out before it really began."
As he was sentenced at Preston Crown Court for causing death by dangerous driving of Mrs Joseph's son Olive and causing serious injury by dangerous driving of Mrs Joseph, the court heard witnesses saw his victim at the roadside.
They said they saw Mrs Joseph and two friends carefully walking across the zebra crossing in the dark, wind and rain. As Shahid reached the crossing he did not slow and threw Mrs Joseph into the air, and into the path of an oncoming car, Preston Crown Court heard.
As she lay seriously injured in the road, Shahid and his passenger sped away from the scene and began taking steps to cover their tracks.
Prosecutor Emma Keogh said his Toyota Prius was estimated to be travelling at between 58mph and 71mph in wet conditions in a 30mph zone. She said Mrs Joseph was taken to hospital with head and spinal injuries. She said: 'It also became apparent that the life of her unborn child was in severe jeopardy.
'An emergency C-section had to be carried out in an attempt to save the unborn child's life. The placenta had ruptured and Mrs Joseph had bled quite heavily. Her child was born that evening but sadly he only survived for a few hours before passing away.
'This was her very first pregnancy with her husband who she married about five years earlier. This was a planned pregnancy and very much wanted.'
Healthcare assistant Mrs Joseph was walking slightly behind two colleagues on the crossing at about 7.50pm as they headed to work a night shift. A motorist travelling in the opposite direction said the Prius driver seemed to increase speed about 15 metres away from the crossing and then swerved away from the two pedestrians in front.
The pregnant woman was hit and 'thrown into the air for quite some distance' before she tumbled and rolled into the car, said the witness.
Ms Keogh told the court: 'It was very clear from footage in both the lead-up and the aftermath that the Toyota was driven at speed. It was clear that throughout the journey the driving by Ashir Shahid left a lot to be desired.'
Within 11 minutes of the collision, searches were made on Shahid's mobile phone, reading 'charge for hit and run human'. In Farnworth, he and and another man went to Frankie's Chicken Shop, laughing and joking about what had taken place.
One was heard laughing as he said: 'I'm basically with a murderer.' After spotting the CCTV inside the shop, he asked the man behind the camera: 'If anyone asks for this video, don't give it them. This guy is a criminal.'
At 9.37pm, as the men waited in the chicken shop, an hour and a half after the collision, a Mercedes flat bed truck collected the Toyota. The men were seen looking at their mobile phones, where news of the collision was beginning to emerge on social media.
One laughed: "That's the woman. She's in hospital." Later, a Snapchat recording was recovered of Shahid singing along to Shaggy's 'It wasn't me' as he and the other man drove away from Frankie's Chicken Shop.
Mrs Joseph read a victim impact statement to the court, she said: "Everything has changed for me now. Everything has been ruined by that one night and the callous and reckless actions of those two people in that car. My life will never be the same again.
'I will never get to meet my baby, be a mummy to him or watch him grow up. They have taken my first child away from me and I will never get him back.
'I don't know how I will ever move on from the events of that night. I will always be reminded of what happened by the fact that my child is not here anymore and he should be. I have physical scars, but the emotional scars are the worst. There is not a day I do not think about my baby boy.'
Her husband Nigel said: 'My whole life changed that night. My baby Olive was born and he was so tiny. We were planning a gender reveal party but I found out his sex when he was placed in my arms.
'Ranju was fighting for her life and she would never have the chance to meet her child. I can not explain the pain I feel.'
He added: 'Not a day goes by without me thinking of our baby boy Olive. He will be forever in our hearts.'
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Leader Live
2 days ago
- Leader Live
Hit-and-run driver locked up for 13 years over death of baby
Renju Joseph, 31, was struck by a car driven at high speed by Ashir Shahid, 20, as she walked on a zebra crossing in the village of Bamber Bridge, near Preston, Lancashire. The Toyota Prius was estimated to be travelling at between 58mph and 71mph at the time, in dark, wet conditions, in a 30mph zone, Preston Crown Court heard. Mrs Joseph was taken to hospital from the scene in Station Road in the early evening of September 29, and an emergency C-section was carried out in an attempt to save the life of her son, Olive. She was walking slightly behind two female colleagues on the crossing at about 7.50pm as they headed to work a night shift at a local care home. A motorist travelling in the opposite direction said the Prius driver seemed to increase speed about 15 metres away from the crossing and then swerved from the two pedestrians in front. The pregnant woman was hit and 'thrown into the air for quite some distance' before she tumbled and rolled into his car, said the witness. Prosecutors said the driving of Shahid before the collision also 'left a lot to be desired'. Video clips recovered from his mobile phone and that of his front seat passenger, younger brother Sam Shahid, 17, showed them laughing and singing to music as the car is driven erratically and at speed. Sam Shahid was also seen to put his feet and upper body out of the window while the driver removes both hands from the wheel at times and makes gun gestures. Minutes after the collision the Toyota was abandoned in a side street and covered with a sheet by the defendants, before others moved the vehicle on to the back of flatbed truck and dumped it in Farnworth, Greater Manchester. Ashir Shahid was arrested days later and made no comment when interviewed, but when his phone was examined it revealed that on the night of the collision he made an online search for 'charge for hit and run human'. A video clip on his Snapchat account also showed him singing along to the Shaggy song It Wasn't Me and laughing. Voice note recordings were also discovered of Sam Shahid rapping: 'Ran that bitch over, baby got packed. She still not woke up, she still asleep.' Ashir Shahid, of Windsor Road, Walton le Dale, Preston, pleaded guilty in June to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving. On Friday, he was also banned from driving for 15 years and one month, and must pass an extended retest. Sam Shahid, also of Windsor Road, was detained for three years after he pleaded guilty to assisting an offender. Sentencing, Judge Ian Unsworth KC said Ashir Shahid's acceleration in the moments before the crash was 'akin to what you may see on a Formula 1 race track'. He said: 'Your driving was nothing less than appalling. You engaged in a prolonged and persistent course of dangerous driving. 'Your speed was significantly in excess of the speed limit and was highly inappropriate for the prevailing road conditions. 'Olive's life lasted five hours and 38 minutes. He did not live to see dawn. His mother never saw him alive. 'His life was snubbed out before it really began.' Mrs Joseph spent a fortnight in a coma before she learned of the death of her son, the court heard. She and her nurse husband, Nyjil Jonn, had planned a gender reveal party at a baby shower for family and friends on October 2. One of her last memories before the collision was buying a dress to wear for the occasion, she said in a victim personal statement read out to the court. Mrs Joseph said: 'Everything has been ruined by that one night and the callous and reckless actions of those two people in that car. My life will never by the same again. 'I will never get to meet my baby, be a mummy to him or watch him grow up. They have taken my first child away from me and I will never get him back.' Mr Joseph said it was 'incomprehensible' to see their son placed on the lap of his unconscious wife as she fought for her life. He said he was scared for the future of the couple, both originally from India, and the possible long-term impact on his wife. Mrs Joseph suffered life-changing injuries including a bleed to the brain, a cracked spinal cord and fractures to her pelvis, ribs and leg. She has had to learn to walk again but struggles to stand for long periods of time, the court heard. Jonathan Duffy, defending Ashir Shahid, who has no previous convictions, said: 'Of course he knew that he had struck a pedestrian but didn't know at the time how seriously injured Mrs Joseph was. 'He deeply regrets his behaviour immediately after the offence, All he can say is that he panicked and was in shock.' Shahid had expressed feelings of shame, guilt and remorse in a letter to the court, he said. Fellow defence barrister Jennifer Devans-Tamakloe, said Sam Shahid explained to her that rapping about something as serious as these events 'makes it easier for him to cope with, as odd as that sounds'. She said: 'While Sam clearly has difficulties of his own, he has ambitions. He says he wants to join the Army.' Sam Shahid had six prior convictions for 13 offences including burglary and vehicle theft, the court was told. Judge Unsworth told the defendants: 'You seemingly have no moral compass. Throughout these proceedings you have sat with your heads down as if in shame. You have no shame.' He noted how they both 'disappeared into the night like cowards' following the collision and then shortly after acted with 'breathtaking coolness' as they began a cover-up operation. He told them they had 'not shown a care in the world for anyone and anything around you' as they careered through residential streets at dangerously high speeds. Judge Unsworth said: 'Your arrogant, selfish and shameless actions put multiple people at risk including yourselves. 'Neither of you have a shred of remorse for your involvement that evening.' He told Sam Shahid: 'You sang utterly vile rap songs in which you glorified the events of that evening and speak in utterly despicable ways of Renju and her dead son Olive. It defies belief. 'You have an ingrained criminality and are someone who at the age of 17 seems to revel in and take pleasure from it.' Following sentence, the Josephs' lawyer, Cathy Leach – of JMW Solicitors, said: 'The enormity of the tragic effects of the accident and the injuries sustained, are something Renju and Nyjil will live with daily. 'Their lives will never be the same. They wish to retain their privacy but have specifically asked us, as their lawyers, to pass on their thanks be passed on to the many people who have been magnificent in their response to the tragedy. 'They specially want to mention the other road users and people who were witnesses to the terrible accident who took the trouble gave evidence to the police and the court.' Det Chief Insp Andy Fallows, of Lancashire Constabulary's major investigation team, said: 'My thoughts first and foremost today are with Renju and family. They have been through the most appalling ordeal and my heart goes out to them. 'They have shown the most incredible dignity and courage since this tragic collision and throughout these proceedings. 'In contrast Ashir Shahid and his co-defendant have shown nothing but arrogance and a lack of remorse for what they have done.'
Metro
2 days ago
- Metro
Teen with 'no moral compass' rapped about car crash which killed unborn baby
A 17-year-old rapped 'ran that b**** over, baby got packed' after a car he was in mowed down a five months pregnant student and killed her baby boy. Renju Joseph, 31, was hit by a speeding car as she walked on a zebra crossing in the village of Bamber Bridge, near Preston, Lancashire. Ashir Shahid, 20, was driving the Toyota Prius between 58mph and 71mph despite being in a 30mph zone in dark, wet conditions, Preston Crown Court. He was jailed for 13 years alongside the car's front passenger, his 17-year-old brother Sam Shahid, who was detained for three years after he pleaded guilty to assisting an offender. The care home worker was en route to a night shift with two female colleagues last September 29 when she was 'thrown into the air for some quite some distance' in the crash, a witness said. The expectant mum was taken to hospital after the crash where doctors tried to save the life of her son, Olive, with an emergency c-section. She spent a fortnight in a coma before she learned of her son's death about five hours after delivery, the court heard. She and her nurse husband, Nyjil Jonn, had planned a gender reveal party at a baby shower for family and friends just three days after the crash. A motorist travelling in the opposite direction said the Prius driver appeared to increase speed about 15 metres away from the crossing and then swerved from the two pedestrians in front. Prosecutors said Shahid's driving 'left a lot to be desired'. Video clips recovered from the driver and passenger's mobile phones show them laughing and singing as the car moves erratically. Sam Shahid was also seen putting his feet and upper body out of the window while his older brother removed both hands from the wheel at times and makes gun gestures. Minutes after the collision the Toyota was abandoned in a side street and covered with a sheet by the brothers. Others then moved the vehicle onto the back of a flatbed truck and dumped it in Farnworth, Greater Manchester. Ashir Shahid was arrested days later, with his phone revealing he had searched 'charge for hit and run human' on the night of the collision. A video clip on his Snapchat account also showed him singing along to the Shaggy song It Wasn't Me and laughing. Ashir Shahid of Windsor Road, Walton le Dale, Preston, pleaded guilty in June to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving. On Friday, he was banned from driving for 15 years and one month and must pass an extended retest to get back behind the wheel. Sam Shahid, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender. Sentencing, Judge Ian Unsworth KC said Ashir Shahid's acceleration in the moments before the crash was 'akin to what you may see on a Formula 1 race track'. He said: 'Your driving was nothing less than appalling. You engaged in a prolonged and persistent course of dangerous driving. 'Your speed was significantly in excess of the speed limit and was highly inappropriate for the prevailing road conditions. 'Olive's life lasted five hours and 38 minutes. He did not live to see dawn. His mother never saw him alive. 'His life was snubbed out before it really began.' Mrs Joseph said in a victim statement that 'everything has been ruined by that one night'. She added: 'My life will never by the same again. 'I will never get to meet my baby, be a mummy to him or watch him grow up. They have taken my first child away from me and I will never get him back.' She suffered life-changing injuries including a bleed to the brain, a cracked spinal cord and fractures to her pelvis, ribs and leg. She has had to learn to walk again and struggles to stand for long periods of time, the court heard. Jonathan Duffy, defending Ashir Shahid, who has no previous convictions, said: 'Of course he knew that he had struck a pedestrian but didn't know at the time how seriously injured Mrs Joseph was. 'He deeply regrets his behaviour immediately after the offence, All he can say is that he panicked and was in shock.' Shahid had expressed feelings of shame, guilt and remorse in a letter to the court, he said. Jennifer Devans-Tamakloe, defending Sam Shahid, said he told her that rapping about something as serious as these events 'makes it easier for him to cope with, as odd as that sounds'. She said: 'While Sam clearly has difficulties of his own, he has ambitions. He says he wants to join the Army.' Sam Shahid had six prior convictions for 13 offences including burglary and vehicle theft, the court was told. Judge Unsworth told the defendants: 'You seemingly have no moral compass. Throughout these proceedings you have sat with your heads down as if in shame. You have no shame.' He described how they both 'disappeared into the night like cowards' following the collision and then shortly after acted with 'breathtaking coolness' as they began a cover-up operation. He told them they had 'not shown a care in the world for anyone and anything around you' as they careered through residential streets at dangerously high speeds. More Trending Judge Unsworth said: 'Your arrogant, selfish and shameless actions put multiple people at risk including yourselves. 'Neither of you have a shred of remorse for your involvement that evening.' He told Sam Shahid: 'You sang utterly vile rap songs in which you glorified the events of that evening and speak in utterly despicable ways of Renju and her dead son Olive. It defies belief. 'You have an ingrained criminality and are someone who at the age of 17 seems to revel in and take pleasure from it.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. 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Rhyl Journal
2 days ago
- Rhyl Journal
Hit-and-run driver locked up for 13 years over death of baby
Renju Joseph, 31, was struck by a car driven at high speed by Ashir Shahid, 20, as she walked on a zebra crossing in the village of Bamber Bridge, near Preston, Lancashire. The Toyota Prius was estimated to be travelling at between 58mph and 71mph at the time, in dark, wet conditions, in a 30mph zone, Preston Crown Court heard. Mrs Joseph was taken to hospital from the scene in Station Road in the early evening of September 29, and an emergency C-section was carried out in an attempt to save the life of her son, Olive. She was walking slightly behind two female colleagues on the crossing at about 7.50pm as they headed to work a night shift at a local care home. A motorist travelling in the opposite direction said the Prius driver seemed to increase speed about 15 metres away from the crossing and then swerved from the two pedestrians in front. The pregnant woman was hit and 'thrown into the air for quite some distance' before she tumbled and rolled into his car, said the witness. Prosecutors said the driving of Shahid before the collision also 'left a lot to be desired'. Video clips recovered from his mobile phone and that of his front seat passenger, younger brother Sam Shahid, 17, showed them laughing and singing to music as the car is driven erratically and at speed. Sam Shahid was also seen to put his feet and upper body out of the window while the driver removes both hands from the wheel at times and makes gun gestures. Minutes after the collision the Toyota was abandoned in a side street and covered with a sheet by the defendants, before others moved the vehicle on to the back of flatbed truck and dumped it in Farnworth, Greater Manchester. Ashir Shahid was arrested days later and made no comment when interviewed, but when his phone was examined it revealed that on the night of the collision he made an online search for 'charge for hit and run human'. A video clip on his Snapchat account also showed him singing along to the Shaggy song It Wasn't Me and laughing. Voice note recordings were also discovered of Sam Shahid rapping: 'Ran that bitch over, baby got packed. She still not woke up, she still asleep.' Ashir Shahid, of Windsor Road, Walton le Dale, Preston, pleaded guilty in June to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving. On Friday, he was also banned from driving for 15 years and one month, and must pass an extended retest. Sam Shahid, also of Windsor Road, was detained for three years after he pleaded guilty to assisting an offender. Sentencing, Judge Ian Unsworth KC said Ashir Shahid's acceleration in the moments before the crash was 'akin to what you may see on a Formula 1 race track'. He said: 'Your driving was nothing less than appalling. You engaged in a prolonged and persistent course of dangerous driving. 'Your speed was significantly in excess of the speed limit and was highly inappropriate for the prevailing road conditions. 'Olive's life lasted five hours and 38 minutes. He did not live to see dawn. His mother never saw him alive. 'His life was snubbed out before it really began.' Mrs Joseph spent a fortnight in a coma before she learned of the death of her son, the court heard. She and her nurse husband, Nyjil Jonn, had planned a gender reveal party at a baby shower for family and friends on October 2. One of her last memories before the collision was buying a dress to wear for the occasion, she said in a victim personal statement read out to the court. Mrs Joseph said: 'Everything has been ruined by that one night and the callous and reckless actions of those two people in that car. My life will never by the same again. 'I will never get to meet my baby, be a mummy to him or watch him grow up. They have taken my first child away from me and I will never get him back.' Mr Joseph said it was 'incomprehensible' to see their son placed on the lap of his unconscious wife as she fought for her life. He said he was scared for the future of the couple, both originally from India, and the possible long-term impact on his wife. Mrs Joseph suffered life-changing injuries including a bleed to the brain, a cracked spinal cord and fractures to her pelvis, ribs and leg. She has had to learn to walk again but struggles to stand for long periods of time, the court heard. Jonathan Duffy, defending Ashir Shahid, who has no previous convictions, said: 'Of course he knew that he had struck a pedestrian but didn't know at the time how seriously injured Mrs Joseph was. 'He deeply regrets his behaviour immediately after the offence, All he can say is that he panicked and was in shock.' Shahid had expressed feelings of shame, guilt and remorse in a letter to the court, he said. Fellow defence barrister Jennifer Devans-Tamakloe, said Sam Shahid explained to her that rapping about something as serious as these events 'makes it easier for him to cope with, as odd as that sounds'. She said: 'While Sam clearly has difficulties of his own, he has ambitions. He says he wants to join the Army.' Sam Shahid had six prior convictions for 13 offences including burglary and vehicle theft, the court was told. Judge Unsworth told the defendants: 'You seemingly have no moral compass. Throughout these proceedings you have sat with your heads down as if in shame. You have no shame.' He noted how they both 'disappeared into the night like cowards' following the collision and then shortly after acted with 'breathtaking coolness' as they began a cover-up operation. He told them they had 'not shown a care in the world for anyone and anything around you' as they careered through residential streets at dangerously high speeds. Judge Unsworth said: 'Your arrogant, selfish and shameless actions put multiple people at risk including yourselves. 'Neither of you have a shred of remorse for your involvement that evening.' He told Sam Shahid: 'You sang utterly vile rap songs in which you glorified the events of that evening and speak in utterly despicable ways of Renju and her dead son Olive. It defies belief. 'You have an ingrained criminality and are someone who at the age of 17 seems to revel in and take pleasure from it.' Following sentence, the Josephs' lawyer, Cathy Leach – of JMW Solicitors, said: 'The enormity of the tragic effects of the accident and the injuries sustained, are something Renju and Nyjil will live with daily. 'Their lives will never be the same. They wish to retain their privacy but have specifically asked us, as their lawyers, to pass on their thanks be passed on to the many people who have been magnificent in their response to the tragedy. 'They specially want to mention the other road users and people who were witnesses to the terrible accident who took the trouble gave evidence to the police and the court.' Det Chief Insp Andy Fallows, of Lancashire Constabulary's major investigation team, said: 'My thoughts first and foremost today are with Renju and family. They have been through the most appalling ordeal and my heart goes out to them. 'They have shown the most incredible dignity and courage since this tragic collision and throughout these proceedings. 'In contrast Ashir Shahid and his co-defendant have shown nothing but arrogance and a lack of remorse for what they have done.'
