Latest news with #ValerieAyres
BBC News
19-05-2025
- BBC News
Learner driver who fled fatal crash scene in Redditch jailed
A speeding learner driver who fled the scene of a fatal crash he caused has been Ayres, 65, was killed instantly when Khizer Ali, 24, collided head-on with her Vauxhall Meriva, in the crash in Worcestershire that also left her husband David, 70, with life-changing who only had a provisional licence, "recklessly" drove a Volkswagen Golf at 59mph in a 40mph zone, before he lost control and struck the couple's car on the wrong side of Alvechurch Highway on 23 April last year, West Mercia Police defendant, of Farndon Close, Redditch, was sentenced at the town's crown court to 11 years and three months for causing death by dangerous driving. Footage later showed the Golf being driven at 62mph in a 30mph zone, as well as being involved in a near-miss with a car coming in the opposite direction under a railway bridge. Ali sped around a nearby roundabout twice and ignored the designated lanes before he exited on to the Alvechurch Highway at "full throttle", police was then that he "finally lost control of the car and crossed on to the wrong side of the road" and collided with the Ayres' car, the force added. The force of the impact pushed the Meriva into another car behind it, before Ali left the scene. He was later arrested at his home by tribute to Mrs Ayres, her husband said: "Val was the life and soul of the party, we did everything together."My life has been turned upside down, I can't express how much I miss Val and wish the whole thing never happened."Her daughter Lucy added: "Mum was the glue in our family and kept us going."The times we spent together are now some of the most cherished memories I have. "I cannot put into words what this man has taken away." Ali was sentenced on Friday after admitting causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and causing death by driving a vehicle without a licence or insurance, at an earlier hearing in was also banned from driving for 12 years and six months. Det Con Rose Hughes said: "He should never have been behind the wheel of this car as he did not hold a full driving licence."Ali should never be driving again. Offenders like him have no place on our roads." Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Times
19-05-2025
- Times
Uninsured learner driver fled after killing woman in head-on crash
An uninsured learner driver ran away after a road crash in which a woman died and her husband was left with serious injuries, a court heard. Khizer Ali, 24, crashed his mother's VW Golf into a Vauxhall Meriva carrying Valerie Ayres, 65, and her husband, David, 70, who were on their way to go shopping. Dashcam footage shows Ali speeding at 59mph in a 40mph zone moments before the fatal crash on the A441 in Redditch, Worcestershire, on April 23 last year. Mrs Ayres was killed instantly while her husband suffered life-changing injuries. Ali, of Redditch, admitted numerous offences including causing death by dangerous driving, at Worcester crown court on May 16. He was sentenced to 11 years and three months in jail and
The Independent
18-05-2025
- The Independent
Learner driver's sister gives ‘lesson' over phone before he kills mother in head-on crash
A learner driver's sister gave him a "lesson" over the phone before he caused a fatal crash that killed a mother in Redditch last April, West Mercia police said. Valerie Ayres, 65, was killed instantly when Khizer Ali, 24, of Farndon Close, Redditch, crashed into her and husband David, aged 70, in their car. Ali only held a provisional license and was not insured to drive the vehicle. He walked away from the scene but was later arrested at his home. Ali was sentenced to 11 years and three months on Friday (16 May). His sister Sanaa Shahzad, 20, also of Farndon Close, pled guilty to two counts of causing or permitting the use of a vehicle without valid insurance or a licence. She will be sentenced in June.
Telegraph
18-05-2025
- Telegraph
Learner driver flees after killing woman in head-on crash
An uninsured learner driver was filmed running away after killing a woman in a head-on crash. Khizer Ali, 24, crashed his mother's car into Valerie Ayres, 65, and her 70-year-old husband David's vehicle as the couple were driving to go shopping. Dashcam footage shows Ali speeding at 59mph in a 40mph zone moments before the fatal crash on the A441 in Redditch, Worcestershire, on April 23 last year. Mrs Ayres was killed instantly while her husband suffered life-changing injuries. Ali, from Redditch, admitted a string of offences, including causing death by dangerous driving, at Worcester Crown Court. He was jailed for 11 years and three months on Friday and banned from driving for 12-and-a-half years. The court heard Ali, who only held a provisional licence, had been driving his sister's car but swapped with her to get their mother's VW Golf. The car was a Motability scheme vehicle that only his mother and sister were insured on. Dashcam footage from the Golf captured the moment Sanaa Shahzad, his sister, showed him how to operate the automatic car. She let him use it while she attended an eyelash appointment after swapping cars at a car wash in Redditch. Ali left the car wash and was clocked on the Golf's dashcam travelling at 62mph in a 30mph zone. He also had a near miss with a car coming the opposite direction under a railway bridge. Seconds later, Ali went twice around a roundabout too fast, ignoring the designated lanes before hurtling onto the Alvechurch Highway at full throttle. Ali lost control of the vehicle and veered onto the wrong side of the road, where he collided head-on with Valerie and David's Vauxhall Meriva. 'Thoughtless and selfish' Footage shows Ali running away from the scene before being arrested at his home a short time later. Shahzad, 20, admitted two counts of causing or permitting the use of a vehicle without valid insurance or a licence. She will be sentenced next month. Det Con Rose Hughes, of West Mercia Police, said Ali 'showed a total disregard for the safety of the public when he took the car off his sister that day'. She added: 'We hope this sentence and the tragic outcome will teach a sobering lesson about the reason for speed limits and driving regulations to anyone thinking about ever getting behind the wheel without having passed their test or driving in such a thoughtless and selfish manner, putting so many people at risk as he did. 'Ali should never be driving again. Offenders like him have no place on our roads. 'His sister Shahzad quite rightly bears some of the responsibility for the outcome of this tragedy too. She should never have lent him the car, especially as she knew he was a learner driver with no insurance.' Following the sentencing, Mrs Ayres's family paid tribute to 'the life and soul of the party'. David, her husband, said: 'We did everything together. Val was so bubbly and funny. 'Nuts' we used to call her, she was always doing stupid things to make people laugh and had a good time wherever we went. 'My life has been turned upside down, I can't express how much I miss Val and wish the whole thing never happened. Val was an amazing woman, the best there was. 'Val stuck by me through thick and thin, and I will love [her] with all my heart for that and more until the day I die.' Lucy, the couple's daughter, said people used to tell her 'I have never seen a mother and daughter so close'. She added: 'I cannot put into words what this man has taken away, not only me but the rest of the family. 'Every day, I wish I could pick up the phone to hear her voice, share my thoughts and for her to tell me everything is going to be ok.'
The Sun
18-05-2025
- The Sun
Moment learner driver runs away after killing woman in horror head-on crash – as he's jailed for 11 years
THIS is the shocking moment an uninsured learner driver runs away after killing a woman in a horror head-on crash. Dashcam footage shows Khizer Ali smashing his mum's VW Gold into a Vauxhall Meriva, carrying elderly couple Valerie and David Ayres. 5 5 Ali is seen speeding at 59mph in a 40mph zone moments before the fatal crash on the A441 in Redditch, Worcester on April 23 last year. Mrs Ayres, 65, was killed instantly while her husband suffered horrific life-changing injuries. Ali admitted a string of offences, including causing death by dangerous driving, at Worcester Crown Court. On Friday, he was jailed for 11 years and three months and banned from driving for 12-and-a-half years. The court heard Ali, who only held a provisional licence, had been driving his sister's car but swapped with her to get into their mother's Golf. The car was a Motability scheme vehicle that only his mother and sister were insured on. Dashcam footage from the Golf captured the moment sister Sanaa Shahzad showed him how to operate the automatic car. She let him use it while she attended an eyelash appointment after they had swapped cars at a car wash on Hewell Road in Redditch. During his reckless journey Ali left the car wash where he was clocked on the Golf's dashcam doing 62mph in a 30mph. He also had a near miss with a car coming the opposite direction under a railway bridge. Seconds later, Ali went twice around a roundabout going too fast -ignoring the designated lanes - before hurtling onto the Alvechurch Highway at full throttle. He finally lost control and careered onto the wrong side of the road where he smashed head-on with Valerie and David's Vauxhall. Footage shows him running away from the scene before being arrested at his home a short time later. Ali's sister Sanaa Shahzad, 20, admitted two counts of causing or permitting the use of a vehicle without valid insurance or a licence. She will be sentenced next month. Detective Constable Rose Hughes, of West Mercia Police, said: "He [Ali] showed a total disregard for the safety of the public when took the car off his sister that day, driving recklessly and dangerously which is exacerbated by the fact he should never have been behind the wheel of this car as he did not hold a full driving licence. "We hope this sentence and the tragic outcome will teach a sobering lesson about the reason for speed limits and driving regulations to anyone thinking about ever getting behind the wheel without having passed their test or driving in such a thoughtless and selfish manner putting so many people at risk as he did. "Ali should never be driving again. Offenders like him have no place on our roads. "His sister Shahzad quite rightly bears some of the responsibility for the outcome of this tragedy too. She should never have leant him the car, especially as she knew he was a learner driver with no insurance." Following the sentencing, Mrs Ayres' devastated family paid tribute to her. Her husband David said: "Val was the life and soul of the party; we did everything together. "Val was so bubbly and funny, 'nuts' we used to call her, she was always doing stupid things to make people laugh and had a good time wherever we went. "My life has been turned upside down, I can't express how much I miss Val and wish the whole thing never happened. "Val was an amazing woman, the best there was. "Val stuck by me through thick and thin, and I will love with all my heart for that and more until the day I die." The couple's daughter Lucy added: "My mom was my best friend we always spent time together, people used to remark I have never seen a mother and daughter so close. "I cannot put into words what this man has taken away not only me, but the rest of the family. "Every day, I wish I could pick up the phone to hear her voice, share my thoughts and for her to tell me everything is going to be ok." 5 5
