Killer driver who mowed down pregnant woman sentenced to 13 years in prison

Yahoo

5 days ago

A dangerous driver who killed an unborn child when he ploughed into a mother at a crossing has been jailed for 13 years.
Renju Joseph was five-and-a-half months pregnant when she was mown down at high speed by Ashir Shahid in Bamber Bridge.
Shahid spent several days cowardly hiding at a friend's house in Accrington after the crash before eventually being arrested in Kirkham.
Mrs Joseph underwent emergency surgery to have her baby boy delivered, but he tragically later died in hospital.
Ashir Shahid (Image: Lancashire Police) Mrs Joseph, 31, was seriously hurt, and although she has since been discharged from hospital, she still suffers from life-changing injuries, including mobility issues.
The crash happened on Station Road close to the junction with Longbrook Avenue and Fourfields shortly before 8pm on Sunday, September 29 last year.
and it was quickly established that the offending vehicle was a Toyota Prius, which was driven to Greater Manchester after the crash and dumped in Farnworth.
CCTV and other enquiries led police to Shahid, 20, of Windsor Road, Walton-le-Dale, who was arrested and charged.
In June he pleaded guilty to causing the death of a baby by dangerous driving. He also pleaded guilty to causing serious injury to Mrs Joseph.
Shahid was today (Friday, August 15) sentenced to 13 years' detention for the offence of causing death by dangerous driving and three years for causing serious injury by dangerous driving to be served concurrently, with a minimum of two-thirds to be served before being released on licence.
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He was also banned from driving for 15 years and one month, which results in a period of around seven years upon his release.
A 17-year-old boy from Walton-le-Dale, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender.
Before today, he could not be named due to his age, but these restrictions were lifted by Judge Ian Unsworth.
Sam Shahid, also of Windsor Road, was sentenced to three years' detention.
In a victim personal statement, Mrs Joseph 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 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.
'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.'
Sam Shahid (Image: Lancashire Police) Detective chief inspector Andy Fallows, of Lancashire Police's force 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. Not only did they fail to stop after the collision, but they did all they could to try and escape detection.
'The manner of Shahid's driving on that tragic evening was truly appalling, with a complete disregard for pedestrians and other road users and his dangerous actions have very sadly cost the life of a little boy and left his mother with some serious and life-changing physical injuries and the unimaginable pain of losing a child.
'I hope that today's sentences will give these two defendants some time to reflect on the devastating impact of what they have done and will give others who may be tempted to drive in this way pause for thought and to think twice before they get behind the wheel.
'I would like to thank the officers and staff who worked tirelessly on this investigation to secure these convictions and sentences, as well as the Crown Prosecution Service and colleagues from Greater Manchester Police who helped locate the offending car.
'Finally, I would like to return to Renju and family and to once again extend my sympathies to them and to offer them my best wishes for the future.'