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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Jamie Brassington & Ryan Merrifield

Driver, 23, killed young mum in crash after speeding at 100mph to 'impress his cousins'

A young man killed a mum when he smashed into her in a souped-up car after reaching speeds of "over 100mph" in an attempt to show off, a court heard.

Hashim Aziz was today jailed for six years following the incident which saw him hit Baljinder Kaur Moore's Vauxhall Corsa in his brother's Audi A3 in Walsall, West Midlands.

The 23-year-old was travelling at over three times the speed limit at the time of the crash as he tried to "impress his cousins".

The victim, mum to a five-month-old boy, was going the short distance to pick up her husband Harjinder from his brother's home.

She suffered fatal injuries.

The defendant had initially tried to blame Mrs Moore for the incident which cost her life during a police interview but later admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

During his sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Aziz expressed "full remorse" for the crash.

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Hashim Aziz was travelling at 100mph before the collision (BPM Media)

Mrs Moore's family spoke of their loss and the "huge hole" left in their lives, reports BirminghamLive.

Cathlyn Orchard, prosecuting, said two witnesses had spotted Aziz flying past them "in excess of 100mph" before they heard "loud bangs".

The severity of the impact caused one of the car engines "to become detached" while debris was left scattered 30 metres away, she said.

Mrs Moore, who was wearing a seatbelt, was extricated by firefighters from the wreckage, but was pronounced dead a short time after the collision.

In a victim impact statement, heartbroken partner Harjinder recalled "running to the police cordon" after another driver had said "a young woman in a red car had died".

Ms Orchard said Aziz had taken his brother's Audi, which he had recently bought for £25,000, while he was in the shower.

Mrs Moore was only making the short trip to pick up her husband (BPM Media)

Two CCTV cameras had captured the Audi about 80 metres from the crash site; at which point collision investigators were able to calculate it was driving at 97mph.

The court heard Aziz began breaking before the junction with Magdalene Road, and struck Mrs Moore's car at 62mph.

Harjinder tried calling his wife after she did not show up, and he then left his brother's home in the direction of the scene.

Before he got there, a driver told him "to turn back because a young woman had died".

Aziz's defence counsel, Adam Morgan, said his client had collected two of his cousins to go for a meal in Coventry before the crash.

He said: "He accepts full responsibility for what was a catastrophic accident. He simply shouldn't have been travelling anywhere near that speed."

Aziz was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court (BPM MEDIA)

Mr Morgan said Aziz was a former school prefect and had been studying accounting.

He said Aziz had flashbacks and nightmares from the crash, adding: "He is genuinely remorseful. He is anxious that I apologise on his behalf.

"Although the family might not be able to forgive him, he hopes they will be able to accept that he is sorry."

Aziz, who had a clean criminal record and no driving convictions, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and driving without insurance at an earlier plea hearing.

He previously denied one count of aggravated vehicle taking.

But, following arguments between the judge and defence counsel during sentencing, Aziz agreed to be sentenced on the "full facts of the case" - including the latter offence, it was heard.

Sentencing judge, HHJ Michael Chambers KC, said: "You drove in excess of 100mph in a residential area, approaching a crossroads. This was dangerous driving of the greatest gravity and it was the loss of a life of a young mother, a daughter and sister."

Having outlined evidence carried out during the collision investigation, Mr Chambers added: "She clearly didn't stand a chance."

Had the case gone to trial, Aziz would have been jailed for eight years.

However, he was awarded 25 per cent credit for his early guilty plea. As a result, the total sentence was six years. He was also banned from driving for seven years.

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